Mr. Ron Brown presented on how Pennsylvania’s Juneteenth Celebration also commemorates June 19, 1863, the date on which the PA Abolitionist Society and the Union League of Philadelphia members gathered for a meeting to enforce President Abraham Lincoln Emancipation. The Society and Union League received the assistance of Octavos Cato, Frederick Douglas, and Harriet Tubman to precipitate the enlistment of what would become 11 Regiments of 10, 940 African USCTs in Camp William Penn (CWP), the first federal and largest, training camp of USCT’s enlisted in the Civil War. CWP’s 6th, 8th, 22nd, 41st, 43rd, and 127th Infantries fought and defeated the Confederacy Army at the Siege of Petersburg VA. The six USCT Infantries were re-organized to form the 25th Corps.
The 25th Corps defeated and precipitated General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the Union Army. USCT of the 22nd Infantry of the 25th Corps, was assigned, and lead President Abraham Funeral Procession on April 25th, 1865. The 22nd Infantry was then assigned to, and did capture John Booth and Lincoln assassins on the Eastern Shores of Maryland.
The 22nd Infantry rejoined the 25th Corps. The 25th Corps was mustered to Texas. The 25th Corps was assigned to surround and guard General Gordon Granger as he read General Order # 3 to enslaved Africans outside of the Osterman Building, the Union Headquarters, in Galveston Texas on June 19, 1865; General Order # 3 reading led to the eruption of a spontaneous celebration in the streets of Galveston Texas, the assembled Africans named the day, Juneteenth; which evolved from the combination of June, the month in which the celebration occurred and teenth, June 13th to June 19th (June-teenth), the length of time of 25th Corps Freedom March through Texas.
