Juneteenth

Each year on June 19th, the holiday Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The celebration takes place each year on June 19th, recognizing an event that took place in Texas in 1865.

The story of Juneteenth starts in Texas when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, with an announcement. As the community listened to the reading of General Order Number 3, the people of Galveston learned for the first time that the Civil War was over. After more than a century of slavery and years of war, it was official. All slaves were now officially free men and women.

In the United States, all 50 states officially recognize the observance. In June of 2021, the U.S. Congress passed legislation making Juneteenth as a federal holiday. President Joseph Biden signed the legislation into law on June 18, 2021, declaring Juneteenth National Independence Day. Federal offices observe the day on the closest weekday if Juneteenth lands on a weekend.