Juneteenth, celebrated on Friday, June 19, 2026, marks the 161st anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States. This federal holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, bringing news that the Civil War had ended and all enslaved people – more than 250,000 in Texas - were now free.
The holiday, also known as Freedom Day and Emancipation Day, remembers that the Emancipation Proclamation was effective on January 1, 1863, and the troops' arrival in Galveston, a full two and a half years later, freed the last enslaved people in the country.
Juneteenth became a Texas state holiday in 1980, and a federal holiday in 2021. Originally called Jubilee Day, it is the oldest nationally-celebrated remembrance of the end of slavery in the United States.
Americans celebrate with education, community engagement, cultural expression, and reflection on the rich history, spirit, and profound contributions of Black Americans to the story of America.