Juneteenth African-American Cultural Festival: celebrate the best of Fauquier County’s cuisine, music & businesses 11a-3p

Eva Walker Park ~ Alexandria Pike & North Street ~ Warrenton VA 20186

The Civil War ended, with Robert E. Lee’s Surrender on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House. News of the surrender, however, did not reach many areas for weeks.  Lastly, this news is recorded to reach the people of Texas.

On that day, June 19, in 1865 Union Major-General Gordon Granger read General Order No. 3 to the people of Galveston. It stated:

"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 personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."