“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” — General Order No. 3, June 19, 1865 On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with a message that should have echoed across the nation years…
Tag: juneteenth
Nathan “Nearest” Green: The Untold Legacy of America’s First African-American Master Distiller
Early Life and Background Nathan “Nearest” Green, born around 1820, was an enslaved African-American whose legacy would become intertwined with the history of American whiskey. Incorrectly spelled as “Nearis” in the 1880 census, Green’s contributions to the distilling world have only recently received the recognition they deserve. While his exact date of birth and death…
Embracing Juneteenth: A Southern Gentleman’s Journey to Acknowledging the Past and Celebrating Freedom
As a Southern Gentleman, I’ve come to realize that acknowledging and celebrating Juneteenth is not just about honoring African American history—it’s about embracing our shared and imperfect history. It’s about recognizing the pain, confronting hard truths, and committing to a future where everyone is truly free and equal. I grew up with a certain understanding…