What Is Juneteenth

Juneteenth a portmanteau of june and nineteenth also known as freedom day jubilee day liberation day and emancipation day is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the united states. A look back at the history of the us holiday whoopi goldberg explains that even though abraham lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation on jan. The history behind juneteenth or june 19 is much.
what is juneteenth

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What is juneteenth. Cory booker d nj in a press release announcing the. What is juneteenth and why do we celebrate it. Juneteenth short for june nineteenth marks the day when federal troops arrived in galveston texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. Juneteenth is about reclaiming our history rejoicing in the progress weve made and recommitting to the work yet undone said sen.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the united states. Dating back to 1865 it was on june 19th that the union soldiers led by major general gordon granger landed at galveston texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. It originated in 1865 when on june 19 the union soldiers arrived in galveston texas carrying news that the civil war was. Juneteenth is a commemoration of slavery ending in the united states.

When the 13 original colonies declared their independence from great britain on july 4 1776 black americans remained in chains. Juneteenth could not be coming at a more fitting time. A look at the history behind juneteenth and what you need to know about the day that commemorates the end of slavery in the united states. Juneteenth is one of americas oldest holidays and is observed each year on june 19 to mark the official end of slavery in the us.