Juneteenth, a portmanteau of “June” and “Nineteenth,” is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. WHEN IS IT OBSERVED? Observed on June 19 every year, it marks a pivotal moment in American history. THE ROAD TO JUNETEENTH On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring the freedom of all enslaved people within the rebellious states. THE IMPACT OF THE PROCLAMATION: However, this proclamation did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, as many slave owners in Confederate territories — Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia — refused to comply. THE EVENT IN 1865 It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that the last enslaved African Americans in the Confederate states were freed. Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, announcing the end of slavery in Texas and proclaiming that all enslaved people were free. This date, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, came to be known as Juneteenth.

THE JOURNEY TO RECOGNITION OF JUNETEENTH

  • The modern movement for greater recognition of Juneteenth began in 1994, when advocates from various groups gathered to push for its national observance.
  • This momentum continued to grow, particularly in the context of racial justice movements such the Black Lives Matter (which began in 2013) of the 21st century.
  • On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
    • Despite its federal status, only 18 states have passed laws to fund Juneteenth as a paid state holiday as of 2024.
  • Juneteenth became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr Day was established in 1983.