Let's commemorate this special day by vowing we will do all we can to wipe out the hate that still exists in the hearts of those who refuse to accept full equality for everyone.
Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth National Independence Day, became an official U.S. federal holiday on June 17, 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the legislation. Celebrated annually on June 19, it commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
The Origin: The holiday traces back to June 19, 1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced General Order No. 3, proclaiming that the more than 250,000 enslaved people in the state were free.National Museum of African American History and Culture)
This momentous news came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.
Long Tradition: Juneteenth is considered the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, with the earliest public celebrations dating back to 1866.