Entry bubble Celebrate Juneteenth Today!

By: Stephanie | June 19, 2009 | Category: General

I must admit that I had never heard of Juneteenth until I started working at USA.gov. In researching dates for the federal web portal, I noticed that the commemoration of Juneteenth popped up in a number of Library of Congress and Smithsonian webpages. I became intrigued to learn more, which I did. So I was especially excited to substitute for GovGab today, on the anniversary of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth image from the Anacostia MuseumJuneteenth—which is a combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth"—is a celebration to commemorate June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers finally arrived in Galveston, Texas, to spread the word that President Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years before. The Library of Congress says the reason for the delay was the fact that news traveled so slowly in those days.

As the news spread, former slaves celebrated with festive foods, music, dancing, singing, games, and stories. Juneteenth has been celebrated each year since 1865. In 1979, Texas became the first state to proclaim Emancipation Day (Juneteenth) an official state holiday. Today, more than half of the states in the U.S. officially observe Juneteenth each year. People celebrate with parades, festivals, and cookouts.

Would you like to find out where Juneteenth events are in your state? Visit your state on this map for a list of local events.

I'd love to hear from any of you who celebrate Juneteenth! Tell me how you commemorate this special day.

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