What Is Juneteenth Celebrating and Is It a Federal Holiday?

Monday, June 19 marks the celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday that is celebrated annually to commemorate the end of slavery throughout the United States.

In 2021, Juneteenth was made a federal holiday by Congress, with President Joe Biden signing the holiday into law on June 17.

"Last year, I was proud to sign bipartisan legislation establishing Juneteenth as our newest Federal holiday, so that all Americans can feel the power of this day, learn from our history, celebrate our progress, and recognize and engage in the work that continues," Biden said in a statement on June 17, 2022. "The emancipation of enslaved Black Americans was not the end of our Nation's work to deliver on the promise of equality—it was only the beginning. On Juneteenth, we recommit to our shared work to ensure racial justice, equity, and equality in America."

The History of Juneteenth

During the American Civil War in 1863, then-President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation allowing all slaves in Confederate states to be freed. However, the news of Lincoln's announcement took two years to reach Texas. On June 19, 1865, soldiers from Union states arrived in Galveston, Texas, and freed all the slaves.

"The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger's regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance," according to Juneteenth.com, an educational and motivational resource about the holiday.

A year later on June 19, 1866, numerous celebrations took place across Texas to mark the occasion, according to the encyclopedia Britannica.

"The original observances included prayer meetings and the singing of spirituals, and celebrants wore new clothes as a way of representing their newfound freedom. Within a few years, African Americans in other states were celebrating the day as well, making it an annual tradition," the encyclopedia Britannica states.

Celebrations

During this year's Juneteenth, people can expect celebrations to take place in several big cities across the country.

There is expected to be several free-to-attend events in Washington D.C. to celebrate the holiday. Meanwhile in New York City, the Juneteenth NY organization is planning to hold its own celebratory event, which includes plans throughout the entire weekend in different parts of the city.

In addition, the Philadelphia Juneteenth Parade and Festival is expected to celebrate the holiday with several events.

"The festivities include parade floats, a music festival, an art marketplace and a carnival-inspired children's village with plenty of family activities," VisitPhiladelphia.com said.