| Juneteenth Juneteenth, short for June nineteenth, commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States. June 19th is the day that federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation that all enslaved people be freed. On June 17th, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday. It has been a long time coming. Dr. Opal Lee has been campaigning for decades to have Juneteenth nationally recognized, and when she was 94 years old, she saw President Biden sign the bill. Communities nationwide are celebrating by walking 2.5 miles, in recognition of the 2.5 years it took for the news of freedom to reach all enslaved people in the United States. Juneteenth is also known as "Juneteenth Independence Day," "Emancipation Day," or "Freedom Day." The holiday is the oldest national holiday commemorating the end of slavery. Traditionally, the day was celebrated by praying and bringing families together. In 1872, a group of Black ministers and businessmen purchased 10 acres of land, which they turned into Emancipation Park, a place to hold Juneteenth celebrations. Check out these titles |
