Editor’s Note: This video was originally published on YouTube on July 3, 2023.
In 1865, Major General Gordon Granger recited five general orders, enforcing all slaves’ right to freedom in Texas freedmen marched from Galveston Courthouse to a colored church, now known as Reedy Chapel, celebrating in worship.
The first documented emancipation celebration happened a year later at Reedy Chapel, marking the birth of Juneteenth. Today, people gather there to reenact the historic moment, rejoice and reflect.
Video and Production by Melody Jones. Editing by Amaya Austin.
