Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration marking the end of slavery in the United States, traces its origins to Galveston, Texas. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with a momentous announcement: the Civil War had ended, and enslaved individuals were now free. This news came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had officially declared freedom for enslaved people in Confederate states in 1863.

Although emancipation had technically been law, enforcement in remote Confederate territories like Texas lagged until Union forces could assert control. Juneteenth—short for “June Nineteenth”—has since evolved into a powerful symbol of freedom and resilience.

In 2021, Juneteenth became a national holiday when President Joe Biden signed it into law. During the signing ceremony, President Biden remarked, “I have to say to you, I’ve only been president for several months, but I think this will go down, for me, as one of the greatest honors I will have as president.” Juneteenth is now celebrated across the country as a day of reflection, education, and community.