Raleigh, NC
Alas! and am I born for this,
To wear this slavish chain?
Deprived of all created bliss,
Through hardship, toil and pain!
How long have I in bondage lain,
And languished to be free!
Alas! and must I still complain—
Deprived of liberty.
Oh, Heaven! and is there no relief
This side the silent grave—
To soothe the pain—to quell the grief
And anguish of a slave?
Come Liberty, thou cheerful sound,
Roll through my ravished ears!
Come, let my grief in joys be drowned,
And drive away my fears.
Say unto foul oppression, Cease:
Ye tyrants rage no more,
And let the joyful trump of peace,
Now bid the vassal soar.
Soar on the pinions of that dove
Which long has cooed for thee,
And breathed her notes from Afric’s grove,
The sound of Liberty.
Oh, Liberty! thou golden prize,
So often sought by blood—
We crave thy sacred sun to rise,
The gift of nature’s God!
Bid Slavery hide her haggard face,
And barbarism fly:
I scorn to see the sad disgrace
In which enslaved I lie.
Dear Liberty! upon thy breast,
I languish to respire;
And like the Swan unto her nest,
I’d like to thy smiles retire.
Oh, blest asylum—heavenly balm!
Unto thy boughs I flee—
And in thy shades the storm shall calm,
With songs of Liberty!
Capital City Juneteenth Celebration
Raleigh, NC
The meeting was held at The African Church, the site of present-day Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church. The convention consisted of 106 delegates from 34 of North Carolina’s then 89 counties.
These delegates resolved to seek equal rights for freedmen, including the right to serve on juries, act as their own counsel, and vote in elections.
Freedom Day: Remembering June 19, 1865
What Juneteenth Means
The name Juneteenth combines “June” and “nineteenth,” marking the date when freedom was finally announced to enslaved African Americans in Texas.
Why Texas Matters
Texas was one of the most remote slave states, and the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, was not enforced there until after the Civil War ended.
A Celebration of Freedom
Juneteenth honors liberation, resilience, remembrance, and the ongoing journey toward justice, equality, and community advancement.
How Juneteenth Celebrations Grew
At first, Juneteenth celebrations involved church-centered community gatherings in Texas. Over time, the observance spread across the South and became more public during the 1920s and 1930s, often centered around food festivals and community fellowship.
During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Juneteenth took on renewed meaning as the focus shifted toward the struggle for civil rights after emancipation. By the 1970s, the celebration returned greater attention to African American freedom, culture, and the arts.
By the 21st century, Juneteenth was celebrated in major cities across the United States and recognized in many states as a holiday or special day of observance.
Our Mission: To celebrate the freedom of all persons held as slaved by acknowledging their history and achievements through commemorative and historical services and activities.