History of Juneteenth (1968)

In this news segment for Houston’s KPRC-TV, reporter Lee Tucker recounts the history of Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gorgon Granger stood on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa and read the contents of “General Order No. 3,” announcing the abolition of slavery in Texas. Statewide festivities commemorating the date, known as Juneteenth, began shortly thereafter. Texas became the first state to establish Juneteenth as an official state holiday in 1980.