Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States and celebrates African American culture. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves in the secessionist Confederate States. Two and a half years later on June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and Major General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom for slaves in Texas.
Juneteenth is considered the longest running African American holiday and celebrations often include lectures, displays, and demonstrations teaching about African American culture. Juneteenth is also known as “Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day.”