Juneteenth is this Friday, June 19, a day of observance and remembrance that marks the day in 1865, when enslaved Texans learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
The celebration began in Texas but soon spread nationwide and became a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth, which is short for “June 19th,” marks the day federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and announce freedom for enslaved people in Texas.
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According to History.com, although General Robert E. Lee surrendered in Appomattox Court House in April 1865, slavery had remained relatively intact in Texas. Contrary to popular belief, the Emancipation Proclamation did not instantly free the slaves. The proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union Control.
In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence from Union troops. However, the arrival of the Union in June signaled the freedom for more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas.
In 1979, Texas became the first state to mark Juneteenth as an official holiday and in June 2021, it was made into a federal holiday.
According to NPS, the day has held a special meaning for people of African descent and is celebrated throughout the United States with parades, family reunions, speeches and barbeques.