Feel Good Friday - Emancipation Park Conservancy

Today is Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved people in the country. Today’s organization, the Emancipation Park Conservancy exists to honor that moment every day.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, the mission of the Emancipation Park Conservancy (the Conservancy) is "to enhance Emancipation Park by preserving its integrity and enriching its heritage as a local, state, national, and international landmark."

The park itself has a fascinating origin story. In 1872, just seven years after emancipation, a group of formerly enslaved community leaders pooled $800 to purchase ten acres of land in Houston's Third Ward as a place to celebrate Juneteenth. That act of collective freedom and investment is now a Houston Protected Landmark. During the Jim Crow era, it was the only public park and swimming pool available to African Americans in the city.

Today, the Conservancy manages the park under a 30-year agreement with the City of Houston, offering community programs in four areas: Education, including coding, robotics, vocal development, and an Emancipation Conversations Lecture Series; Economic Empowerment, with budgeting workshops, small business assistance, and financial planning; Health & Wellness, addressing significant health disparities in the predominantly Black and Hispanic/Latinx Third Ward community; and Arts & Culture, connecting local artists to a community long underserved by policymakers.

And this Juneteenth, there's even more to celebrate. The Conservancy just completed an $18.5 million expansion of the park, including a new 5,000-square-foot performance stage and a renovated cultural center. Tonight, the newly expanded park hosts Juneteenth: The Reunion, featuring live music, food vendors, a Kids Zone, and more. If you're in Houston you should definitely check it out!

If the celebration inspires you to get more involved, there are many ways to support the Emancipation Park Conservancy. You can volunteer, make a donation, or amplify their message on social media. Follow the Conservancy on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn  or YouTube and help keep this piece of living history at the center of the community where it belongs.

Happy Juneteenth!

 

Feel Good Friday - Juneteenth USA

Next week, on June 19th, people in the United States will celebrate a recently recognized federal holiday, Juneteenth. That makes today a great day to learn about the oldest Juneteenth nonprofit advocacy organization in the United States, Juneteenth USA.

Founded in 1985 by the late Hon. Al Edwards Sr. (D-TX), the original purpose of Juneteenth USA (J-USA) was “to raise awareness and advance the Juneteenth holiday to a national one.” Today, their mission is “to fund exceptional projects to bring all Americans to celebrate, support, and continue to elevate the common bond of freedom through the recognition, observance, education, and historic preservation of Juneteenth in America.”

First let’s start with a history lesson from JUNETEENTH.com. “Juneteenth is the oldest internationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863.”

In 1979, legislation recognizing Juneteenth Day was initiated by Senator Edwards. It passed the Texas State Legislature and was signed into law that same year. In 1985, J-USA was founded to raise awareness and advance the Juneteenth holiday to a national one. Sadly, Senator Edwards passed away in 2020 a year before Juneteenth became a federal holiday.

Now J-USA supports several projects such as the Absolute Equality mural at the site where General Granger issued General Order Number 3, and purchasing the OST Theater in Houston to use for Juneteenth related and culturally relevant events. They also offer scholarships for HBCU students and funding for community projects highlighting the arts and education.

If you’d like to support Juneteenth USA in their continued advocacy and education work, there are many ways to do so. Make a donation and raise awareness on social medial by liking their Facebook page and following them on Instagram or LinkedIn.