#galveston

[tail-feathers]

As the fog returns this evening, it presents unique and compelling photographic opportunities. This image captures the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa re-entering Galveston Harbor. This is just another stunning view from the Galveston Ferry. 12/23/25 TXDot

[buniix3]

[uwmspeccoll]

Honoring Freedom: Juneteenth

On June 19, 1865, news of emancipation reached the last enslaved person in Galveston, Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Today, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, resilience, and Black history and culture.

This Juneteenth, we're highlighting two powerful works by author, educator and activist Booker T. Washington (1856-1915): Up from Slavery and Working with the Hands. Both volumes were published in New York by Doubleday, Page & Company. Originally published in 1901, our copy of Up from Slavery was published in 1902. Our copy of Working with the Hands is a first edition from 1904 and is illustrated with photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952), an American photographer and photojournalist. 

Booker T. Washington’s landmark autobiography, Up from Slavery, chronicles his journey from slavery in Virginia to becoming one of the most influential Black leaders in the United States. The book details his early life, his education at Hampton Institute, and his founding of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now known as Tuskegee University) in Alabama. Washington advocates for self-reliance, industrial education, and racial uplift through dignity and hard work. This text was widely read and continues to be a foundational work in African American literature and history.

A lesser-known sequel to Up from Slavery, Working with the Hands serves as a practical and philosophical follow-up. In it, Washington elaborates on the day-to-day operations, goals, and educational philosophy of the Tuskegee Institute. The book emphasizes the dignity of manual labor and the importance of vocational training as a means of achieving Black economic empowerment in the post-Reconstruction South.

From emancipation to education, Washington’s life and legacy are deeply tied to the ongoing struggle for Black freedom and self-determination. His writings emphasize resilience, practical knowledge, and the power of building a future by hand and by heart.

-View previous Juneteenth posts

--Melissa, Distinctive Collections Library Assistant

[unplaces]

28th St, Galveston, Texas.

[saywhat-politics]

He’s no longer in office. No campaign. No spotlight. But Joe Biden stood in Galveston yesterday, honoring Juneteenth where it began. That’s not politics. That’s character.

[lonestarbattleship]

"Did you hear that?

Today, a blank charge was fired aboard Battleship TEXAS in honor of the ship's launching, which happened on this day 114 years ago. If the scuttlebutt is true, the ship's 14 inch guns will be fired again in early July as part of the America250 celebration!"

Date: May 18, 2026

Posted on the Battleship Texas Foundation Facebook page: link

[tickleharmony]

Trading dungeon walls for ocean waves today. 🌊

[uzumaki-rebellion]

Happy Juneteenth to my Black Texans, especially those in Galveston. May your red water be extra cold, your white bread soft, the pork ribs tender, and the catfish and gumbo seasoned to perfection. Ase.