This year brings the 160th anniversary of June 19, 1865, a major turning point in the fight to end slavery in the U.S.

What is Juneteenth?, Was Juneteenth the end of slavery?, When was the first Juneteenth celebration?, Is Juneteenth a federal holiday?, What is the official flag for Juneteenth?, How can I celebrate Juneteenth?

Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua via Getty Members of a Civil War re-enactment troop are seen with the White House in the background during Juneteenth celebrations in Washington, D.C., the United States, on June 19, 2023

NEED TO KNOW

Juneteenth marks the day — June 19, 1865 — when some of the last enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told of their freedom, nearly two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation
The first Juneteenth observance took place in 1866 and it was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021
Today, Juneteenth is celebrated with parades, readings, church services and community gatherings that honor Black history and culture

It's been 160 years since June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce freedom to the last known group of enslaved people in the former Confederacy, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect.

Though Juneteenth has been honored within Black American communities for over a century, it wasn't officially recognized as a federal holiday until 2021, when then-President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation into law.

Read below to learn about the history of Juneteenth and how you can celebrate.

What is Juneteenth?

The longest-running African American holiday in the United States, Juneteenth is short for June 19th, honoring the date in 1865 when freedom was finally enforced for the last enslaved people in Texas.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, declaring enslaved people in Confederate-held territories free. However, enforcement depended on the presence of the Union troops, and many enslavers in the South resisted. As a result, Texas became a hotspot for enslavers who fled their states with enslaved people in hopes of avoiding emancipation.

On June 19, 1865, federal troops, led by Gen. Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of slavery and ensure that freedom was delivered to roughly 250,000 enslaved people in the state.

The year 2025 marks the 160th anniversary of that historical moment.

Was Juneteenth the end of slavery?

Although General Granger announced that all enslaved people were to be freed, enslavers and plantation owners were left to announce the news. They often waited until after the harvest season or until a government official came to enforce the proclamation themselves, per PBS.

Because the Emancipation Proclamation did not apply to states in the Union, remaining enslaved people were not liberated until the 13th Amendment was ratified on Dec. 18, 1865.

Even after the ratification of the 13th Amendment, Black people were often forced into other forms of servitude and new types of enslavement.

When was the first Juneteenth celebration?

In 1866, the first Juneteenth celebration was held in Texas. It was initially known as "Jubilee Day" and later came to have many names, including "Freedom Day," "Emancipation Day" and "Black Independence Day."

It included prayer services, barbecues, music and celebrations that eventually spread across the country as newly freed Black people moved throughout the nation.

Is Juneteenth a federal holiday?

Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Miss Juneteenth Sean-Maree Swinger-Otey waves to the crowd during a 2015 Juneteenth celebration parade in Denver.

Now it is, although it's been a long road to get here. Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official state holiday in 1979. Today, all 50 states and Washington, D.C., recognize Juneteenth in some form — either as a state holiday or a ceremonial day of observance, according to the Congressional Research Service.

In June 2021, the Senate and the House passed legislation establishing the day as a national federal holiday. Biden signed the bill into law on June 17, 2021, officially designating June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day.

"I have to say to you, I have only been president for several months, but I think this will go down, for me, as one of the greatest honors I will have as president," Biden said.

"For too long, we have tried to whitewash our nation's history instead of confronting the uncomfortable and painful truth," said Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) of S.475. "This legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday is but one step we can take to begin to right the wrongs of the past and ensure equal justice in the future."

That historic day wouldn't have happened without the tireless efforts of activists, especially Opal Lee, nicknamed the "Grandmother of Juneteenth." She spent decades advocating for national recognition and famously walked from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness for the cause.

What is the official flag for Juneteenth?

Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe/Getty Ben Haith poses for a portrait with a Juneteenth flag outside his home in Norwich, Conn., on June 14, 2022.

The Juneteenth flag was designed by Ben Haith, the founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation, with the help of illustrator Lisa Jeanne Graf. In 2000, the flag was adapted to look the way it does today, and in 2007, the Juneteenth date, "June 19, 1865," was added.

The white star represents Texas, specifically Galveston, where Union soldiers told the last remaining enslaved people that they were free. However, beyond Texas, the star represents the freedom of Black people in every state.
The burst around the center star symbolizes a nova (or new star), representing new beginnings for Black Americans.
The curve running through the flag's center represents new horizons and opportunities for Black Americans.
The flag's colors (red, white and blue) communicate that the enslaved people freed in Texas — and all of their future descendants — were American citizens.

In 2022, Haith reflected on the significance of the flag as he spoke to Capital B, a Black-led, nonprofit news organization covering Black communities nationwide.

"I believe we represent our ancestors," Haith said. "When we celebrate, we're celebrating for them, and we're celebrating for the future of our people. The flag represents the people of the past, it represents us, and it will represent the people in the future."

How can I celebrate Juneteenth?

VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty The signed Emancipation Proclamation is pictured with U.S. flags over a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

Events are happening across the country. Here are some ways you can celebrate Juneteenth:

Support Black-owned businesses. Shop or donate to small, Black-owned establishments in your area. Not sure where to start? Check out the ByBlack directory or use Google Maps to find nearby options.
Attend local events. Many cities host free Juneteenth festivities like parades, concerts, panels, exhibitions and more. You can also volunteer your time to help make these community events happen.
Start the conversation. Talk with friends, family or co-workers about Juneteenth — its history, significance and continued impact on Black communities today.
Celebrate with the community. Host a barbecue, picnic or block party to bring people together and observe the holiday.
Reflect and learn. Spending the holiday solo? Watch a documentary (PBS.org offers several free streaming options); join a virtual event; read non-fiction books about Juneteenth or the legacy of slavery; or visit a local museum or historical site.
Give back. Donate to organizations that work toward racial justice, such as Campaign Zero (which advocates for police reform), ColorofChange.org (which pushes for government accountability on racial disparities) and National CARES Mentoring Movement (which provides social and academic support to Black youth).