The history of Juneteenth and how it became a federal holiday

The nation is commemorating Juneteenth, which symbolizes the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in the United States were informed that they were free. 

Designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become more universally recognized beyond Black communities nationwide. 

Friday marks the fifth year since Juneteenth was designated as a federal holiday by former President Joe Biden. And the celebrations that started in Texas and spread to other areas, with the day often spent gathering for picnics and cookouts. 

What is Juneteenth?

The backstory:

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned they were freed.

Although President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places in the South until the Civil War ended in 1865. Some white people who profited from their unpaid labor were reticent to share the news.

RELATED: What's open and closed on Juneteenth 2026

News that the Civil War had ended, and they were free finally reached Galveston, Texas when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in the Gulf Coast city on June 19, 1865, more than two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia. 

Slavery was abolished six months later, when Georgia ratified the 13th Amendment. And the following year, the now-free people of Galveston started celebrating Juneteenth, an observance that has continued and spread globally. 

What does the name Juneteenth mean?

Dig deeper:

The name is a combination of the words June and nineteenth. Juneteenth has also been called Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, Second Independence Day, and Emancipation Day. Juneteenth began with church picnics and speeches and spread as Black Texans migrated to other places.

History of Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday 

Big picture view:

The U.S. government was slow to embrace the occasion — it was only in 2021 that President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress to set aside Juneteenth, or June 19th, as a federal holiday.

Many states now have events celebrating Juneteenth as a holiday or a day of recognition, like Flag Day. Juneteenth is a paid holiday for state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia, Washington, and now Nevada as well. Hundreds of companies give workers the day off.

Juneteenth celebrations nationwide

Local perspective:

Galveston, Texas is the birthplace of Juneteenth, and the community is celebrating with a gathering at a park with music and fireworks, a parade, and a worship service in a historic Black church, according to The Associated Press. 

In Houston, musical artists are set to perform and there will be a domino tournament happening at Emancipation Park.

Additional events nationwide include a parade in Atlanta, a bike ride in Los Angeles and a festival on Martha’s Vineyard.

The AP reported that several cities will host walks named for Opal Lee, the Texas woman who pushed for years to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. She is also known as the "grandmother of Juneteenth," 

People participating in these events will walk 2 1/2 miles to represent the 2 1/2 years it took for the Emancipation Proclamation to be enforced in Texas.

 

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