06/19/2026
Today is Juneteenth, a day celebrated annually to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. The emancipation proclamation was signed in September 1862, to go into effect January 1, 1863. However, in some southern states covered by the proclamation, it wasn't until after the surrender of the confederacy and disbanding of its military in 1865 - over 2 years later - that enforcement of the proclamation went into effect. While emancipation came at different times to different places, June 19, 1865, the day a US Army general in Texas finally announced freedom for slaves in Texas - has long been commemorated as a day of celebration, both of the end of slavery in the US and of African-American culture.
After being celebrated across the country for more than a century, Juneteenth was officially named a federal holiday in 2021.
This day and every day, we honor our history in hopes to build a better future than our ancestors could have imagined.
