[MinorityRepublican]

I read a little about the holiday. It is a state holiday in Texas because Union troops freed slaves in a specific town there.

Emancipation Proclamation should be a federal holiday on September 22 because Abraham Lincoln freed all slaves. Juneteenth is a specific holiday in Texas that celebrates an event that happened locally.

If this makes sense.

[the OlLine Rebel]

It makes total sense.

Actually, the date was to be EFFECTIVE Jan 1 1863, so perhaps that would be the day (God help us tying in the martyrdom to NYD).

This is just like Cinco De Mayo (not as bad because that’s Mexico)….it is NOT any kind of National date, just a local thing.

[DuncanWaring]

Actually, as I recall the story, in the Emancipation Declaration Lincoln only “freed” the slaves in states that seceded, not the slaves in border states that did not secede.

[Verginius Rufus]

September 22, 1862, was only the preliminary announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln gave the seceded states 100 days to end their rebellion or he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which he did on January 1, 1863, but that only applied to areas not under federal control (the entire state of Tennessee was excluded, for example).

The advantage of having a holiday in June rather than in December (to commemorate the anniversary of the ratification of the 13th amendment) is that the weather is better in June than in December for most people. January 1 is already a holiday.

Maybe we need to rename the existing holidays: July 4th will be Julyteenth. Hallowe'en will be Octoberteenth. Thanksgiving will be Novemberteenth. And Christmas will be Decemberteenth.