What is Juneteenth? History, events, meaning behind Freedom Day

As June has arrived, Americans are preparing to celebrate Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

Celebrated on June 19 every year, the word is a portmanteau of “June” and “nineteenth.”

The day celebrated the historical moment in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally achieved freedom.

The history behind the federal holiday

While President Abraham Lincoln did issue the Emancipation Proclamation to ban slavery in all Confederate states on January 1, 1863, the declaration was essentially toothless without Union Army involvement. It took another year and a half before the most distant Confederate state of Texas gave way to the declaration.

This occurred on June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger led his Union Army troops into Galveston and declared General Order No. 3, which stated that all slaves were free. This came at the end of the Civil War.

After a year, free Black Texans tend to celebrate the first anniversary on the day they actually learned of their emancipation. The tradition spreads gradually across the country with organizing parades, speeches, gatherings, and religious services.

Events for Juneteenth 2026

To celebrate Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Jubilee Day, major cities across the U.S. are hosting celebrations. Key celebrations are:

• Atlanta, GA: The Atlanta History Center is hosting quilt-making demonstrations, an enslaved people’s garden tour, and change-driven lyric writing workshops.
• Philadelphia, PA: The city holds its yearly big Philadelphia Juneteenth Parade and Festival, which includes colorful floats and performers.
• New York, NY: There are multiple Juneteenth events leading up to the parade and festival held in Gershwin Park and Linden Park in Brooklyn.
• Norfolk, VA: A big convergence will happen at the downtown Norfolk waterfront in honor of Juneteenth, along with Norfolk Harbor Fest for 50 years and the Sail250 Virginia event.
• Galveston, TX: The birthplace of Juneteenth celebrates with historical tours, exhibits, and ceremonies organized by the Galveston Historical Foundation

Former U.S. President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, by signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.