The church office and day school will be closed on Wednesday, June 19 in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

Juneteenth Day (June 19th of every year) marks Major General Gordon Granger’s announcement of the abolition of slavery in Galveston, Texas on June 19th, 1865. His arrival came two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, but was big news to those still enslaved in the state. However, freedom has never been a straight forward process. For many, proclamations and amendments were simply words. 

For those looking to research and share African American history during and after the Civil War, the Presbyterian Historical Society has a number of resources available including: 

African American History Blogs

Blog Posts

Topical Guides

Presbyterians and the Civil War

Presbyterians and Civil Rights

Collection Guides 

Guide to the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Board of Missions for Freedmen Records

Guide to the United Presbyterian Church of North America Board of American Missions Dept. of Negro Work Records

Guide to the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Council on Church and Race Records

This Juneteenth, make learning about the history of emancipation (and the many events that followed) a core part of your celebration.

For more information on the resources held at PHS, contact [email protected].