Juneteenth is a US holiday commemorating and celebrating the ending of slavery in the United States.

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863.

The following year the freed slaves commemorated the day with a celebration. Their June 19th celebration became Juneteenth, which is now celebrated yearly in the form of parties, parades, BBQs and community get-togethers.

These celebrations are not just a commemoration of the emancipation of African American slaves, but also a means to celebrate African American freedom and achievement in history.

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