Juneteenth
June 19
The National Registry states Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. The reactions to this profound news ranged from pure shock to immediate jubilation. While many lingered to learn of this new employer to employee relationship, many left before these offers were completely off the lips of their former ‘masters’. Even with nowhere to go, many felt that leaving the plantation would be their first grasp of freedom. North was a logical destination and for many it represented true freedom, while the desire to reach family members in neighboring states drove some into Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Today, numerous celebrations are held in cities throughout the U.S. to acclaim freedom from slavery and oppression.
National Martini Day
June 19
It is said the martini is a descendant of the Martinez, an older, sweeter, but similar cocktail, which consists of (approximately) two ounces of sweet vermouth, one ounce gin (specifically, Old Tom gin, a sweetened variant), two dashes maraschino cherry liquid, and one dash bitters, shaken with ice, strained, and served with a twist of lemon. The first official mention of Martini was in The New and Improved Illustrated Bartending Manual in 1888. Famous martini lovers have included Ernest Hemingway, Humphrey Bogart and of course… the number one fan… James Bond.
Today’s Birthdays of Note….
Lou Gehrig – NY Yankee Baseball Player – passed at age 37 – born in Manhattan, New York
Lara Spenser – TV Host – 50 – born in Garden City, New York
