06/19/2026
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned they were free. This was more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston and announced that enslaved people were free, marking the effective end of slavery in the United States.
Today, Juneteenth is recognized as a time to celebrate freedom, honor African American history and culture, reflect on the legacy of slavery, and promote education, community engagement, and equality.