LAKELAND, Fla. — Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021; however, it has long been celebrated by the African American community.
The holiday dates back to June 19, 1865, marking the day the last remaining enslaved people in Texas found out they were free.
Virginia Robinson doesn’t have to go far in her family lineage to find relatives who were forced into slavery. Her great-grandfather was one of them.
WATCH: Some celebrate Juneteenth in honor of family members who were enslaved
“I remember that his name was Lightner. They said he was fast, and he escaped,” Robinson said.
Robinson has a lot of memories as a child being around her great-grandfather and grandfather.
“My grandfather, who was with me most of my childhood, he was in his 30s when slavery ended. That was just yesterday,” she said.
As an American Descendant of Slavery, Robinson feels it’s her duty to celebrate Juneteenth, which is known as Independence Day for African Americans.
“July 4th, I was not free, but Juneteenth is the day that acknowledges my freedom,” Robinson said.
Last year, Lakeland leaders recognized Juneteenth as a city-observed holiday, after Harlem Turner and other community members advocated for it. Turner had been urging city commissioners for the holiday since 2023.
“All I wanted was for all of God’s people to be taken care of. I couldn’t get them to understand that it wasn’t anything personal for me to gain from this. They finally voted and we finally, finally won and last year they finally gave it to us,” said Harlem Turner, President of Juneteenth of Lakeland.
Juneteenth is short for June 19th. On that day in 1865, Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, the last state to hold slaves, announcing that all enslaved people were free. It was two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery in Confederate states.
“Confederate plantation owners didn’t give a damn about what Lincoln had proclaimed. They knew there was a proclamation. They just ignored it,” said historian Clifton Lewis.
Slavery continued in many southern states until Union troops arrived. Juneteenth represents the actual enforcement of freedom for African Americans still in bondage.
Today Juneteenth has grown to symbolize Black resilience and a time to reflect on history.
“Black history is American History. There is no way that you could diminish the contribution of Black folks and have a complete history of this country. It just cannot be done,” said Lewis.
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