Juneteenth is coming up this month, and it’s important to recognize its history. Celebrated on June 19, Juneteenth marks the end of slavery in the United States and is also known as America’s second Independence Day. While it has only recently gained national attention, it has been celebrated in African American communities for more than 150 years.
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 making it illegal to own slaves in the United States. Sadly, with the south at war with the Union, people in Texas remained largely enslaved until Union troops were able to arrive years later to enforce the order. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, bringing 2,000 Union troops with him and announcing General Order No. 3.
General Order No. 3 enforced the Emancipation Proclamation, and formally informed Texans that enslaved people were free, marking the end of slavery in the United States.
Following this, people came together to celebrate their new freedom, marking the day we now know as Juneteenth, with the name coming from the month of June combined with the 19th day. After this, the tradition of celebrating Juneteenth slowly spread through African American communities across the South and later across the rest of the United States as people migrated during the 20th century.
Sadly, even with widespread recognition, it took over a century for the first states to officially recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. After becoming a more well-known symbol of freedom and Black history during the Civil Rights Movements, on June 7, 1979, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1016, officially designating June 19 as Emancipation Day in Texas. In the following decades, 48 states and DC officially recognized Juneteenth, with New Mexico becoming the last state to do so in 2006.
Over 150 years later, the United States government officially recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Former President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, making it the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983.