What Is Juneteenth
When the 13 original colonies declared their independence from great britain on july 4 1776 black americans remained in chains.
What is juneteenth. Dating back to 1865 it was on june 19th that the union soldiers led by major general gordon granger landed at galveston texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Juneteenth a portmanteau of june and nineteenth also known as freedom day jubilee day liberation day and emancipation day is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the united states. Juneteenth is about reclaiming our history rejoicing in the progress weve made and recommitting to the work yet undone said sen. Cory booker d nj in a press release announcing the.
Juneteenth is a commemoration of slavery ending in the united states. Juneteenth is one of americas oldest holidays and is observed each year on june 19 to mark the official end of slavery in the us. 1 1863 a quarter million. A look at the history behind juneteenth and what you need to know about the day that commemorates the end of slavery in the united states.
Juneteenth short for june nineteenth marks the day when federal troops arrived in galveston texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. A look back at the history of the us holiday whoopi goldberg explains that even though abraham lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation on jan. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the united states. Juneteenth could not be coming at a more fitting time.