Juneteenth: A New Federal Holiday Celebrating Freedom
Juneteenth National Independence Day
Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States, celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. It became a federal holiday in 2021, making it the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
Origins of Juneteenth
Juneteenth originated in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in the city and issued General Order No. 3, which declared that all enslaved people in Texas were free. This news came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued, but it finally marked the end of slavery in the Confederacy.
Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas in 1866, and it quickly spread to other states. In the 20th century, Juneteenth became a symbol of the struggle for civil rights, and it was often celebrated with parades, picnics, and other events.
Significance of Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a day to celebrate freedom and the end of slavery in the United States. It is also a day to reflect on the progress that has been made in the fight for racial equality, and the work that still needs to be done.
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