Learn about Juneteenth

Juneteenth commemorates the day when enslaved Black Americans in Texas were finally informed of their freedom under the Emancipation Proclamation. On June 19, 1865—two and a half years after the proclamation had been issued and two months after the Confederate army surrendered—approximately 250,000 people in Texas were declared free. This momentous day became known as Juneteenth. Often called the “second U.S. Independence Day,” Juneteenth has long been celebrated by Black communities across the country. In 2021, Congress passed, and President Joe Biden signed, legislation establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday—recognizing not only the history and process of emancipation but also the ongoing struggle for freedom and the cultural resilience of African American communities in the United States.