On Juneteenth weekend, Roy Collins III reflected on his family’s generations-long connection to the holiday’s birthplace in Galveston, Texas. With roots tracing back to the earliest celebrations, Collins shared how local history became national heritage.
While the country commemorated Juneteenth, Roy Collins III embodied the notion that the narrative of America is intricately tied to individual stories. A Galveston native and retired attorney, Collins embodies the legacy of his family, who have experienced the gradual yet significant transformation of the holiday from a local custom to a recognized federal occasion.
Collins, whose mother wrote Island of Color: Where Juneteenth Started, has dedicated years to dispelling the misconception that the enslaved people in Galveston were unaware of the abolition of slavery until Union troops arrived in June 1865. “It was not that people were unaware,” Collins stated. “The Confederate states did not recognize federal law until troops enforced it.”
The family's past is closely linked to that pivotal moment. Collins has unearthed newspaper clippings from the 1880s that depict his ancestors participating in Juneteenth celebrations in Galveston, where they engaged with the Emancipation Proclamation. That included women—an exceptional contribution during an era when public female voices were uncommon.
Following the arrival of his ancestors in Galveston after emancipation, the port city's diverse international community set it apart from much of Texas. “There was significant engagement,” Collins noted, “which helped to lessen some of the hostility observed inland.” He remembered family tales of encountering tension when they departed the island, where outsiders believed Galveston’s Black residents were unaware of their status.
Collins observed the understated significance of Juneteenth in earlier years, as intimate family picnics and gatherings organized by NASA in Houston were a part of his career in the ‘70s and ‘80s. When Juneteenth was established as a federal holiday in 2021, he noted that his children were fascinated to witness the traditions from their Galveston upbringing featured prominently on the national stage.
Now back in Galveston, Collins notes that local celebrations possess a richness that books cannot fully capture. “We were acquainted with someone who had connections to the forebears,” he stated. “That’s the distinction.”
Due to the dedication of influential figures such as the late Al Edwards, Texas officially recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday in 1980. However, it was the nationwide reflection following George Floyd’s death that provided the crucial impetus for its federal acknowledgment, completing a journey that started on a sweltering June day in Galveston 159 years prior.
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