Juneteenth: Uranus in Gemini

Uranus Frees Us

Happy Juneteenth!

I woke up this morning thinking about the astrology of Juneteenth—because I knew somehow Uranus was a factor. When I think of liberation and freedom in astrology, my mind goes to Uranus. What’s even more interesting is that Uranus was in Gemini when the slaves were finally freed. We are weeks away from Uranus entering Gemini—July 7, 2025.

What stood out to me is that Uranus was transiting an anaretic degree when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and informed the slaves that they were free. This announcement came two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. That in it itself is WILD AF. But Uranus did come through.

I don’t have the exact chart of Juneteenth because it wasn’t timed—it was 1865 and they were telling time by the Sun (or maybe a clock in town if you were lucky). When I don’t have an actual time for a birth or event, I set the chart to 12 PM Noon. I like Noon because we’re half way through the day and the Moon is within 6° of the degree the chart reflects because the Moon travels about 13° per day.

Uranus, the Planet of Shocks, at the 29° degree indicates a disruption of sorts. Uranus is the Great Awakener and when it’s at an “crisis” degree there’s this urgency around liberation and freedom. This is the degree of fate because it’s the final degree before the next sign. It’s the end of a karmic cycle. We can witness closure, culmination and completion around that planetary energy. I mean it doesn’t get any more shocking than finding out you’re free after years of enslavement. And you’ve technically been free.

Uranus is conjunct the Sun in the Juneteenth chart. It’s a Uranus Cazimi aka “into the heart of the Sun”. The Sun is willpower and desires. Uranus is rebellion and change. These two planets connecting indicate a period of unexpected events and surprises. It also creates the desire to break free from whatever is restricting us. Uranus is being born again, its purified by the Sun. Collectively all people (even slave owners) were entering new cycle when it came to their innovation, liberation and freedom. It was time to break out and break free.

Uranus is trining the North Node. I think of the North Node as the North Star—it’s guiding our path. The North Node in Libra is about justice, harmony, balance and equality. With the slaves being freed under this energy, we can even think about how the lives of everyone not just the slaves were changing as the slave owners would navigate a new relationship dynamic with a person they previously considered property.

Neptune was also in Aries during this liberation. We currently have Neptune transiting Aries. Aries is the warrior and the leader. Neptune is higher ideals and beliefs. The soldiers weren’t there to fight—the war was over—but to free the slaves. They were instrumental in granting the slaves their autonomy a part of Neptune being in Aries. It was time to liberate from old structures (slavery) and for these human beings step into their personal empowerment.

Saturn is exalted in Libra. I noticed it was retrograde during Juneteenth. Often a retrograde indicates we have to re-do something. The US was revisiting a karmic situation. The slaves had been free by law for several years but were still being enslaved. Saturn is structures, law and order, and capitalism. This was karmic justice being served when the slaves were freed. No longer could a human life be held captive and used for profit. Period.

There are other factors in the chart like Jupiter in Sagittarius—its domicile—opposing the Sun and opposite Uranus. Oppositions suggest an outside force. But with Jupiter it tends to be a positive influence. It was time for a major breakthrough, a change in beliefs. Free labor and inhuman treatment of captive humans had to go. The stars aligned. Venus in Taurus also formed a conjunction to Pluto in Taurus—control in relationships. Venus is finances and Pluto is wealth. There was no longer a free labor system in place in which slaveholders could capitalize off Black bodies. This dynamic was being transformed. Pluto is transformation. Taurus is the sign associated with wealth and it’s Venus ruled so relationships.

While Black people continued to battle many injustices after Juneteenth—Jim Crow, redlining and white supremacy—maybe Uranus re-entering Gemini and Neptune transiting Aries will bring the freedom that many generations have been seeking.

Peace and high vibes! ☮️ ✨

Candice