What is Juneteenth? Date, history, significance and more explored

Juneteenth, observed on June 19 every year, celebrates the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans. President Joe Biden signed a bill making it a federal holiday in the United States in 2021.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Jun 19, 2024 | 02:31 PM IST | 19.2K

Image Courtesy: Wikimedia commons

Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, honors the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans. President Joe Biden signed it into law, making it a federal holiday in the United States in 2021.

Juneteenth, once a regional holiday in the South, gained national attention following the 2020 protests over the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and other African Americans, as per Britannica. This article discusses the date, history, and significance of Juneteenth, as well as how it is celebrated today.

The date and federal recognition

Juneteenth is a combination of the words June and 19th, and it marks the day in 1865 when a Union general arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform a group of enslaved African Americans of their freedom under President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. This occurred following the surrender of the Confederate states, which brought the Civil War to an end.

Juneteenth became a federal holiday in the United States in 2021, giving the day off to government employees and employees of participating private businesses. However, not all state governments recognize the holiday, so state employees in those states must work until legislation is passed to make it a permanent state holiday.

Historical background of Juneteenth

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, has a rich historical background. It honors June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, declaring enslaved people's freedom in Texas. This announcement came more than two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which legally freed slaves in Confederate states but was not enforced in many areas until Union troops arrived.

In 1980, Texas became the first state to officially declare Juneteenth as a holiday. Since then, at least 28 states and the District of Columbia have legally declared Juneteenth a state holiday, granting state employees a paid day off. According to the Pew Research Center, Connecticut, Minnesota, Nevada, and Tennessee made Juneteenth a permanent public holiday starting in 2023. Alabama also declared it a state holiday by decree of Governor Kay Ivey.

Significance of Juneteenth

Juneteenth is both a celebration and a solemn remembrance. It commemorates the abolition of slavery in the United States and recognizes the struggles and resilience of African Americans. The day is observed to commemorate 400 years of slavery and the ongoing struggle against racial injustice.

Race remains a sensitive issue in the United States, as evidenced by the protests following George Floyd's death in 2020, which sparked a global movement for criminal justice reform and drew attention to other racial inequities. Recent efforts to change how Black history is taught in schools have drawn attention to the country's ongoing racial tensions.

In 2023, the United States Supreme Court ruled that universities could no longer consider race in student admissions, effectively ending affirmative action programs designed to increase diversity in higher education. This decision has added to the debate over race and equality in the United States.

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