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the day, with a variety of meats (chicken, ribs, lamb, pork, and beef), fresh fruits, delectable desserts, and the traditional strawberry sodas. Each family attending usually brings a dish or two.

Recalling the first Juneteenth, celebrants may toss their old clothing into creeks and rivers and adorn themselves with new apparel. This is reminiscent of the freed slaves shedding their torn rags and dressing in fancy clothes from their former masters' estates.

During and after the Depression Era, Juneteenth celebrations waned somewhat, but they were rejuvenated during the Civil Rights movement days of the 1950s and 1960s. Since then, Juneteenth has been marked enthusiastically.

In 1968, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, a civil rights activist, led a multi-racial, multi-creedal march on Washington, DC, the nation's capitol. After this, Juneteenth festivities became major events in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and other northern cities.

JUNETEENTH BECOMES OFFICIAL

In 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday, when Texas Governor William P. Clements, Jr., signed a bill from Al Edwards, an African-American Democrat from Houston, who was then serving in the Texas state legislature. Even today, Texas is the only state to grant employees the day off from work.

In recent decades, The Henry Ford Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and other organizations have promoted and sponsored Juneteenth events.

SOURCES:
http://www.elec village.com/juneteen.htm
http:/ /www.infoplease.com/spot/junet eenth1.html
http://www.juneteen th.com/history.htm
http://www.t sha.utexas.edu/handbook/online /articles/JJ/lkj1.html
http://w ww.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx /juneteenth.html
http://www3.ku mc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/ juneteenth.html

Learn more about this author, Linda Ann Nickerson.
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