Jubilee! Records of Emancipation at the National Archives and Records Administration
National Archives
Online
On June 19, 1865, U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, which informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free. This day has come to be known as Juneteenth, a combination of June and 19th. It is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
Damani Davis, a reference archivist at the National Archives in Washington, DC, and a Subject Matter Expert for Records Relating to the African American Experience, will give a presentation about emancipation-related records housed at the National Archives in Washington, DC.
Although the bulk of these records—other than General Order No. 3—are not directly associated with the tradition of Juneteenth itself, the featured records highlight the general theme of emancipation that ultimately culminated in General Order No. 3 and the Juneteenth tradition. The records highlighted in this presentation are significant due to their genealogical value as well as for general historical information related to the history of emancipation in the United States.
Audience skill level: beginner to experienced (all are welcome!)
The presentation slides and handout are available on the Know Your Records web page.
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted.