I’d like to point out that the New Times article “Human liberation” in the June 15 to 22 newspaper is historically incorrect. The article states several times that “Juneteenth honors the anniversary of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.” While this federal holiday does celebrate the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, it does much more. Historically, Juneteenth Day celebrates the day on which the last slaves in the U.S. were officially notified of their freedom. It happened on June 19, 1865, when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued an order in Galveston, Texas, announcing that all slaves were free under the Emancipation Proclamation. Approximately 250,000 Black people enslaved in Texas were the last in the country to receive this notice, which was more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law.
I think New Times should publish a correction to the article by describing the actual history of Juneteenth Day. I believe not addressing this error short-changes the readers’ understanding of Juneteenth Day and of U.S. history itself.
Dean Arrighi
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in Jun 22 – Jul 2, 2023.