The most recent national holiday designation is Juneteenth. It became a national holiday on June 17, 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. This holiday is also called Freedom, Emancipation, or Jubilee Day because it marks the end of slavery in the United States that lasted 246 years from 1619 to 1865.

The History of Juneteenth

Many people are unaware of the significance of Juneteenth against the complex backdrop of the American Civil War. At the heart of the Civil War was the question of slavery. Many people believe that slavery ended when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. This is not true. In 1863, America was in its second year of civil war. With 20 states already in the Union, the Emancipation Proclamation only applied to the ten Southern states that seceded from the Union. Yet, the enforcement of this legislation greatly depended on whether the Union or the Confederacy would win the Civil War.

Most states were reluctant to abolish slavery even with legislation such as the Emancipation Proclamation. The American Civil War ended on April 9, 1865. The Union was declared the victor, and the end of slavery was inevitable. As a result, federal soldiers had full authority and enough men to finally enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. For example, on June 19, federal troops led by Major General Gordon Granger would deliver General Order #3 in Galveston, Texas announcing that all enslaved persons were free and were to be treated as other hired workers. This announcement, having been made in June and on the nineteenth day of that month, came to be known as Juneteenth.

Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate Juneteenth.

• Attend a local Juneteenth celebration in your neighborhood or make plans to visit the Legacy sites in Montgomery, Alabama.
• Join Opal’s Walk for Freedom virtually from any location. Opal Lee is a civil rights activist who advocated for making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Today, she is known as the grandmother of Juneteenth.
• Host a family gathering—like an outdoor picnic—and talk about the importance of the day.
• Learn more about the holiday and the history surrounding this important day.
• Watch a movie about the American Civil War and its impact on America.

Remember, June 19 is officially Juneteenth, and it is a celebration about hope and freedom!