What is Juneteenth?
January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln and declared that “all persons held as slaves” throughout the United States were freed. Yet not everyone received this news immediately. Many of the enslaved people in Texas, the westernmost Confederate state, remained in bondage for years after the proclamation was made. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, that they received the news that they were free.
Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of these freed black people in Texas. On June 17th, 2021, Juneteenth became a federally recognized holiday, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States of America.
Learn more about Juneteenth by exploring the resources below and keep an eye out for Juneteenth celebrations happening in our community!
