The Birthplace of Juneteenth, Galveston Island holds a special place in the United States and African American history.
When the last enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas heard the news on June 19, 1865 that they were officially freed under General Order No. 3, it marked a pivotal moment in American history. General Orders, No. 3, was issued on June 19, 1865. The orders, among others read by General Gordon Granger at sites throughout the city, announced to the people of Texas that all enslaved people were free. This day, now known as Juneteenth, Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day, is one of Galveston Island’s most important historical moments and has been marked by remembrance and celebrations almost every year since.
Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree.
Juneteenth marks our country’s second independence day. The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times.
Freedom for Black people in America at the time did not necessarily mean liberty in the purest sense as a post-Civil War United States grappled with this seismic shift. Black Americans were not quickly afforded freedom of movement or places to settle and had to rely on their community to uplift each other socially, economically, and politically.
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Today, as Juneteenth celebrations across the nation reflect upon the 160th anniversary of the final waves of emancipation, commemoration efforts have expanded. Understanding the past offers an opportunity to be an advocate for a better life for all mankind.
Juneteenth Flag
Below are some places you can visit to learn more about Juneteenth and African American history in Galveston:
Landmarks and Historical Sites
1. The “Absolute Equality” Mural
The “Absolute Equality” mural is a 5,000-square-foot public artwork that overlooks the site where Union General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 that freed enslaved people. The mural project was led by the Juneteenth Legacy Project and came about as a result of wanting to show people visiting Galveston a more prominent and colorful display of the history they were walking past.
The mural, painted by artist Reginald Adams, shows a montage of enslaved Black people being taken away, Harriet Tubman holding out her hand leading enslaved people to freedom, President Abraham Lincoln, and Black soldiers fighting in the Civil War.
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2. Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
The Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first and oldest AME church in Texas, throws an annual Juneteenth party in honor of being “the birthplace of Juneteenth.” The church is considered a cornerstone of abolition history in the wake of enslaved Black people becoming free as General Order No. 3 was read.
The church is also an important part of history as it was originally built in 1863 as a place for enslaved people to practice religion.
Reedy Chapel AME Church
3. Antioch Missionary Baptist Church
Founded in 1866 just seven months after General Order No. 3 was read in Galveston, the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church was the first African American Baptist Church in Houston. The African American Museum in Galveston, Texas, serves as a beacon of cultural heritage, education, and remembrance within the vibrant tapestry of this coastal city.This was the first African American Baptist Church in Texas. It grew out of the Colored Baptist Church that formed in 1840 as the slave congregation of the First Missionary Baptist Church.
For the first several months following its formation, the congregation held its services in the First Baptist Church and German Baptist Church buildings. The church was in the center of Houston's Freedman’s Town and became the first brick structure in the city to be built and owned by African Americans. It launched the Houston Baptist Academy which helped community members learn reading, writing, and math, much needed skills in the months and years after Black people gained their freedom.
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In 2024, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund provided $180,000 to the church to assist restoration efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike from 2008 including the stained-glass windows, gothic frames, and sills.
4. Freedom House Museum
It was decades before Alexandria, Virginia's Freedom House museum rose from the basement of its 19th-century building to occupy three floors but they did just in time for Juneteenth in 2022.
The townhouse building on Duke Street is considered to be “ground zero” for the slave trade as it was used by multiple companies between 1828 and 1861 to traffic thousands of men, women and children. The building was also at one point used by the Union army as a jail during the Civil War.
Freedom House Museum
5. Freedmen’s Town
When the last enslaved Black people were freed in Galveston in 1865, there were few places in the state for them to truly settle down with their newfound freedom. Some of them migrated to the Houston area and created Freedmen’s Town, where they established schools, homes, and churches.
In 2021, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund provided $140,000 to the organization to hire a manager of learning and engagement to help the community learn more about the town's history.
Other Historical Highlights
- Central High School: Established in 1885, Central High School was the first high school for African Americans in the state of Texas. During its 83-year history, Central High School was recognized for excellence in both academics and athletics, with many state championship titles awarded in sports. After a number of years without a state win, the 1964 Central High School football team successfully defeated Dallas Madison to become Texas State Champions.
- Rosenberg Library: Shortly after the opening of the Rosenberg Library in 1904, a separate “Colored Branch” for African Americans was established. It is believed to be the first public library for blacks in the southern United States.
- Holy Rosary Church: Established in 1889, Holy Rosary Church was the first church dedicated to serving African American Catholics in the state of Texas.
- Galveston’s Beachfront: Before the 1960s, Galveston’s beachfront was segregated. Whites enjoyed swimming and beach recreation on the east end of the island, while African Americans did the same on the west end. There was, however, a one-block stretch of beach on the eastern side of Galveston which was open to black residents.
Juneteenth || Learning about Texas History from Galveston Island to the Texas State Capitol
Voices from the Past
Voices from the Past includes an assortment of late 19th and early 20th century photographs from the Galveston and Texas History Center at Rosenberg Library. Rosenberg Library partnered with local residents to develop a unique interactive tour which allows visitors to watch and listen to personal stories which relate to the photos. Topics range from emotional anecdotes regarding discrimination and segregated facilities to more lighthearted tales of recreation and childhood adventures.
The Galveston and Texas History Center is home to many resources documenting African-American life in Galveston, from slavery, Juneteenth, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights movement, to the present day.
Included in our collection are slave deeds documenting the sales of enslaved Black men and women, papers and photographs of modern-day celebrations of Juneteenth, which marks the day when newly emancipated African Americans in Galveston learned of their freedom, and books and photographs of figures such as businessman Norris Wright Cuney and famous boxer Jack Johnson.
Our collection also contains the personal papers of noted Black Galvestonians such as Bert Carson Armstead Jr., Alfreda Houston, and Leon A.
