JuneteenthTHE DAILY NEWS CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF FREEDOM 12This is just a partial list of Texas residents who have Works Progress Administration (WPA) Slave Narratives. As we celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Juneteenth in 2015 remember the names on this memorial page. These names are a few of the former enslaved people that shared their stories about life as a slave. They survived slavery and lived to tell about it. We honor them as we celebrate Juneteenth. Memorial Page Sponsored by the Collins Family of Hitchcock, TX Sam, Doris, Torin, Dallas, Joseph & Spencer. WILL ADAMS STEARLIN ARNWINE HARRIET BARRETT CHARLOTTE BEVERLY ISABELLA BOYD WES BRADY MARTHA SPENCE BUNTON JACK CAUTHERN ANDREW (SMOKEY) COLUMBUS GREEN CUMBY JULIA FRANCIS DANIELS CAMPBELL DAVIS WILLIS EASTER MARY KINCHEON EDWARDS SARAH FORD MATTIE GILMORE WILLIAM HAMILTON JAMES HAYES TOM HOLLAND LIZZIE HUGHES MARTIN JACKSON SPENCE JOHNSON LIZA JONES UNCLE CINTO LEWIS LUCY LEWIS ADELINE MARSHALL HIRAM MAYES C.B. McRAY *MINTIE MARIA MILLER MANDY MORROW ELLEN PAYNE BETTY POWERS LAFAYETTE PRICE ELSIE REECE SUSAN ROSS MARTIN RUFFIN ABRAM SELLS BEN SIMPSON YACH STRINGFELLOW ELLEN THOMAS CAROLINE WRIGHT WILLIAM M. ADAMS SARAH ASHLEY JOHN BATES FRANCIS BLACK JAMES BOYD JACOB BRANCH JAMES CAPE AMOS CLARK LAURA CORNISH TEMPLE CUMMINS KATIE DARLING ELI DAVISON ANDERSON EDWARDS JOHN ELLIS MILLIE FORWARD ANDREW GOODMAN *MOLLY HARRELL FELIX HAYWOOD ELIZA HOLMAN MOSES HURSEY NANCY JACKSON HARRIET JONES NANCY KING HAGAR LEWIS ABE LIVINGSTON ISAAC MARTIN JOHN McCOY SUSAN MERRITT WILLIAM MOORE PATSY MOSES HENDERSON PERKINS ALLEN PRICE A.C. PRUITT WALTER RIMM ANNIE ROW FLORENCE RUFFINS CALLIE SHEPHERD JAMES W. SMITH J.W. TERRILL SAM JONES WASHINGTON ANDY J. ANDERSON JOHN BARKER HARRISON BECKETT HARRISON BOYD MONROE BRACKINS JAMES BROWN RICHARD CARRUTHERS PREELY COLEMAN JOHN CRAWFORD ADELINE CUNNINGHAM CAREY DAVENPORT NELSON DENSON MINERVA EDWARDS BETTY FARROW ROSANNA FRAZIER MANDY HADNOT ANN HAWTHORNE PHOEBE HENDERSON BILL HOMER WASH INGRAM AUNTIE THOMAS JOHNS LEWIS JONES SILVIA KING HENRY LEWIS JULIA MALONE LUISE MATHEWS BILL McRAY ANNA MILLER VAN MOORE MARTHA PATTON ELLEN POLK JOHN PRICE EDA RAINS MARIAH ROBINSON GIL RUFFIN *JOSEPHINE RYLES BETTY SIMMONS JOHN SNEED BILL THOMAS ROSE WILLIAMS *Denotes Slave narratives taken in Galveston“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer.” MAJOR GENERAL GORDON GRANGER GALVESTON, TEXAS JUNE 19, 1865 GALVESTON MAYOR JIM YARBROUGH 34 | The Daily News | Juneteenth | February 2015 Features 8 A milestone in history 12 Freedom Tree 20 Annie Mae Charles 28 Doug Matthews 38 Reedy Chapel On the cover “Free at Last” by Ted Ellis: I began the creation “Free At Last”, on the property of Sam and Doris Collins. This Texas historical landmark has nine acres full of mature size oak tress along with pine and fruit trees. Nestled in the middle is a beautiful old home that is being restored, located in Hitchcock. Owned in the past, by Mr. Stringfellow and his family, this property was used to farm the productions of pears and oranges. Mr. Stringfellow was a wealthy man and generously employed many African-Americans in his community. I say that because here at Stringfellow Orchard is where Mr. Collins decided to create a Juneteenth celebration for everyone in the community. Within three months, family, friends and neighbors chipped in to help in the Stringfellows Restoration Project. Miracles do happen; the first Juneteenth celebration was a success. It was a new beginning. It was the second Juneteenth celebration that impacted me so personally. Witnessing Sam’s struggles to unite the community for a common good. There is more that one good story to be told here at Stringfellow Orchards. Part of mine begins here. I sat at the property with my canvas, brushes and paint. As I surveyed my surroundings, I was caught up within this electrifying environment. Kids were playing, folks, both white and black, talked, prayed and ate together. You had song and laughter, a very honest moment was at hand. The Buffalo soldiers on horseback were there to meet and greet. The re-enactment of both Harriet Tubman, “The Road to Freedom,” and the oratory skills of Frederick Douglas, the abolition- ist, coupled with the sounds of the talking African Drums was so stirring that emotions ran high. I was moved to capture the importance of this event and why, in 1865, the last vestige of slavery officially ended. As an artist, I decided to incorporate symbolic images that are culturally significant. For example, the quilt for story telling, the oak tree for strength, the roots, to know our History, the family, for unity, Buffalo soldiers, for vigilance and service, broken chain, for freedom, hand over heart for belief in righteousness, a tear for the pain and struggle. The three crosses for the sacrifice, the telling of our history by an elder to a child, the Emancipation Proclamation embedded on the house shape of the map of Texas is also visible. I felt the need to pictorially document our history and legacy. “Free At Last” is a historical visual aid to preserve what is important about us … our struggle to triumph against all odds. Persevere, be forgiving, productive and benevolent and improve the quality of life for all. I’m proud to be an African-American. I’m proud of my history. “Free at Last” is available for purchase at www.tellisfineart.com. Table of Contents 11 Hon. Al Edwards 14 Samuel Collins III 16 Angela Taylor-Wilson 18 Naomi Mithcell Carrier 22 Casey Greene 24 David Callender 30 Dedrick Johnson 32 Eugene Lewis 36 Tamala Gary-Robinson 42 Sharon Gillins 44 Sterling & Mary Patrick 46 Izola Collins 48 Mark Wolfe 50 Sheila Jackson Lee 52 Dr. Virgil A. Wood 54 Ted Ellis Guest columns (Above left) Doug Matthews, left, and James Josey, both with the Galveston park committee, watch as Austin artist Adrienne Isom unveils her statue of heavyweight champion Jack Johnson during the John Arthur “Jack” Johnson Park dedication in Galveston. Read about how Matthews has helped make Juneteenth a success on page 28. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News (Left) Earl Jones talks about the sculpture he made from the tree that the Eman- cipation Proclamation was read under at the Sweeny Plantation. Read his story on page 12. KEVIN M. COX/The Daily News (Right) Al Edwards, former state representative, waves at the 33rd annual Al Edwards Emancipation Proclamation Reading and Prayer Breakfast. Read what he has to say about Juneteenth on page 11. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News cover & design by kaitlin schmidt 45Juneteenth Freedom Project “Art speaks...Art says nothing, but says everything” Ted T. Ellis “The Card Players” by Paul Cézanne “Built on Our Backs” by Ted Ellis How do we determine value of what we see? What is the diff erence between these two images? “The Card Players” is valued at over $250 million. The future value of “Built on Our Backs” has yet to be determine. The enslaved man in the painting is not broken. He has been beaten and mistreated, but he sits with his head high. He reminds us of his investment in the wealth of America. He says boldly “I too have a vested interest in America. I too made sacrifi ces for this country.” If you are interested in learning more about the Juneteenth Freedom Project, please visit the artist Ted Ellis’ website or call 409-457-4398. www.tellisfineart.com6 | The Daily News | Juneteenth | February 2015 A note from the Publisher A note from the Mayor J uneteenth is one of the most important moments in U.S. history — and one many people know little, or next to nothing, about. When Major Gen. Gordon Grainger arrived on the shores of Galveston Island, nearly two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the slave trade was still ingrained in the local economy. On June 19, 1865, Granger’s words put an o cial end to this horri c chapter in both U.S. and Texas history. No longer could one human being lawfully own another human being in the United States. And with the arrival of Granger and his men, this ugly chapter of slavery came to a close. This story needs to be told. Each year millions of people visit Galveston — the literal end point of commercial slavery in this country — without knowledge of the historical signi cance of Juneteenth. This is both a tragedy and opportunity for our community. Let us come together during this anniversary celebrating that Juneteenth recognizes the nal leg of the legal enslavement of men and women in the United States. And it was Galveston where slavery nal came to a nal close in U.S. history. Juneteenth. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell a stranger. Let us never forget. T he year 2015 marks a very special time in history, the 150th Anniversary of Juneteenth. Signi ed as the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, Juneteenth allows us to look back on the progress made over a century and a half. It was on June 19, 1865 that Major General Gordon Granger led the Union soldiers to Galveston with the news that the war had ended and the enslaved were now free. For this reason Galveston Island is esteemed as the birthplace of Juneteenth, a community that has long held an identity of perseverance and fortitude. On this day we celebrate freedom, achievement and the ultimate goal of bringing all walks of life together as a community bound by resilience and determination. We acknowledge the dedication and the sacri ces made to ensure that the e orts of those before us are not in vain. We pay tribute to those who opened the gateway of overcoming unforeseen obstacles and those that continue to strive in making our world a better place. This historic day provides an opportunity for us to encourage continuing education and development among all cultures by investing in future generations. Time honored traditions, from the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation to the festive parades honoring local heroes, will carry on the very values and principles cultivated by this celebrated day. I encourage you to engage in the Island’s history by participating in the festivities focused on sharing the journey of our nation’s progress and by visiting the numerous memorials adorning Galveston that pay homage to the advances made throughout history. As we celebrate the 150th Juneteenth Anniversary, let us re ect on the past and embrace the future so that we may continue forward on our path to unity, respect and appreciation for all. LEONARD WOOSLEY PUBLISHER GALVESTON COUNTY DAILY NEWS JIM YARBROUGH MAYOR CITY OF GALVESTON 67Stringfellow Orchards 10th Annual Juneteenth Family Day at Stringfellow Orchards 7902 Hwy 6, Hitchcock, TX 77563 • 11am until 3pm Join us at the Historic Stringfellow Orchards property in Hitchcock, TX on Saturday June 13, 2015 as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth. Activities for the day will include historical enactments, music, activities for children and adults. Hitchcock’s Juneteenth parade starts at 10am on June 13th. We are celebrating Juneteenth in Hitchcock on the Saturday before Juneteenth so that we can be in Galveston on June 19, 2015. www.stringfelloworchards.com8 | The Daily News | Juneteenth | February 2015 From staff reports A s it has for the past 35 years, the Emancipation Proclama- tion will be read at Ashton Villa on June 19. The ceremony commemorates Ju- neteenth, the day in 1865 when Texas slaves were told they were free. After starting in Galveston, the day has long been marked in towns across Texas as a milestone in the long painful history of race rela- tions in the United States. And in recent decades it’s taken on national prominence as well. But according to the historical evidence the Emancipation Procla- mation wasn’t read in Galveston on June 19, 1865. In addition the order the Union Army issued in Galveston that day — General Order No. 3 — might not have been read at all. What’s more, whatever action the Army might have taken it likely didn’t take place at Ashton Villa, local historians told The Daily News in 2006. In fact the Emancipation Proc- lamation was itself never publicly read when it was issued in Washing- ton in September 1862. Historical Composite As it turns out the Galveston ob- servation of the modern Juneteenth celebration appears to be an amal- gamation of events at the end of the Civil War. And its location — Ashton Villa — was at least in existence then while the likely scenes of the action no longer are. On June 19, 1865 U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger marched into Galveston at the head of 2,000 Union soldiers. When he did, he issued General Order No. 3, a terse statement informing Texans that President Lincoln had freed the slaves 2-and-a-half years earlier. Local historians haven’t ever found any document stating where it was read or if it was read at all. An article in the April 20, 1865 edition of The Galveston Daily News just says the order was issued. More than likely, the announcement was made at some of the slave churches, historians have said. Tracing Places And while the Union Army head- quartered itself in the great homes of some Southern towns, the 10-year-old Ashton Villa apparently wasn’t one of them. Rather, the Army set up shop at the Osterman Building at 22nd Street and The Strand — a building Juneteenth: A milestone in history The Galveston County Daily News on June 21, 1965 featured five general orders issued by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger. that’s no longer there. in Galveston, but not until Jan. 1, 1866. of the former courthouse on 21st Street between Ball and Winnie streets. A group of African Americans then marched to the African Methodist Episcopal Church at Broadway and 20th Street. Chapel AME. church nor the old courthouse exists today. replaced with the church that’s there today at 2015 Broadway. But the celebration lived on. Expanding Celebration the direction of the Freedmen’s Bureau, according to the Handbook of Texas Online. It then spread to Hous- ton Brenham Beeville and elsewhere. a strict re-enactment of history isn’t what’s important historians say. Skip Critell portrays President Abraham Lincoln on Saturday during the 9th annual Juneteenth Family Day at Stringfellow Orchards in Hitchcock. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/ 8February 2015 | Juneteenth | The Daily News | 9 that’s no longer there. The Emancipation Proclamation was eventually read in Galveston, but not until Jan. 1, 1866. The ”Emancipation Celebration” took place in front of the former courthouse on 21st Street between Ball and Winnie streets. A group of African Americans then marched to the African Methodist Episcopal Church at Broadway and 20th Street. That building would later become known as Reedy Chapel AME. As with the Osterman Building, neither the original church nor the old courthouse exists today. That Reedy Chapel burned down in 1885, to be replaced with the church that’s there today at 2015 Broadway. But the celebration lived on. Expanding Celebration By 1867 Juneteenth was celebrated in Austin under the direction of the Freedmen’s Bureau, according to the Handbook of Texas Online. It then spread to Hous- ton Brenham Beeville and elsewhere. And whether Galveston’s Juneteenth celebration is a strict re-enactment of history isn’t what’s important historians say. “It doesn’t matter where it was read; what’s important is the content of the orders — the implication the message of freedom” Casey Greene, former head of special collec- tions at Rosenberg Library, told The Daily News in 2006. General Order No. 3 notified black Texans that what Lin- coln had promised them years earlier had come to pass. Drastic Action In 1862, with the war going badly, Lincoln had begun to change his thinking about slavery. Long an advocate of gradual abolition by paying slave owners, he began to believe that more drastic action was needed. The war was becoming increasingly unpopular and enlistments were dwindling. As they did, Lincoln faced increasing pressure from northern abolitionists to take at least some action to free slaves. So in July, as a military measure, he drafted a procla- mation ironically freeing slaves in rebel states, where he had no practical power to do so. Meanwhile Lincoln did have power over slaves in “border states” such as Kentucky. But to keep slave owners in those states from joining the rebellion, Lincoln’s proclamation allowed the bondage of blacks there to continue. The proclamation was drafted and the Cabinet knew Skip Critell portrays President Abraham Lincoln on Saturday during the 9th annual Juneteenth Family Day at Stringfellow Orchards in Hitchcock. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily NewsNext >