Gladys "Fatso" Bentley, Blues vocals, b. 1907, Philadelphia. In the early 1930s, this well known lesbian singer appeared at Harlem's Ubangi Club, backed by a chorus of men in drag. ------------------------------ Juneteenth is the oldest celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th Eighteen and Sixty-Five, 2000 Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. General Gordon Granger read the contents of "General Order No. 3": 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. Of course, this was two and a half years after Emancipation. However, Emancipation had little impact in Texas due to the small number of Union troops available to enforce it. But, with the surrender of General Lee in April of Eighteen and 65, and the arrival of General Granger's regiment in Galveston, the Union forces were finally strong enough to bring about freeing the 250000 slaves in Texas. Slaves in Galveston rejoiced in the streets with jubilant celebrations. The first organized celebrations of Juneteenth were used as political rallies and to teach freed African Americans about their voting rights. Within a <b>...</b>
Juneteenth
June
Tenth
19th
1865
Texas
Gladys
Fatso
Bentley
Blues
oobleckboy
