✊Juneteenth

About Juneteenth

Juneteenth, a blend of June and nineteenth, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It marks June 19, 1865, the day Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and issued General Order No. 3, announcing that all enslaved people were free. The news came more than two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, because Confederate Texas was the last stronghold where it had not been enforced. Also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Emancipation Day, it is the oldest nationally observed commemoration of the end of slavery.

Communities mark Juneteenth with parades, festivals, music, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation and gatherings that celebrate African American history, culture and resilience. Food is central, especially cookouts and barbecues featuring red dishes and drinks such as red velvet cake, strawberry soda and red beans, the colour symbolising resilience and the sacrifices of the enslaved. Many events also include education, reflection and community service alongside the celebration.

Juneteenth falls on June 19 every year and became the eleventh US federal holiday in 2021, when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. The live countdown above ticks down to the next June 19. If you would like to keep the date in view, you can add this countdown to your own page in a few clicks.