June 19 is now officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

 

The name “Juneteenth” is a blend of two words: “June” and “nineteenth.” Juneteenth honors the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States and is believed to be the oldest African-American holiday, with annual celebrations on June 19th in different parts of the country dating back to 1866.

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The Importance of Juneteenth

Juneteenth—June 19, 1865—was the day Union soldiers enforced President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and freed all remaining slaves in Texas. Americans can use Juneteenth as a way to acknowledge past faults, heal current divisions, and move toward a future as a nation more united.

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Who was the main person that pushed for Juneteenth?

Affectionately know as the grandmother of Juneteenth, Opal Lee, 94, was a driving force behind Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday. A former teacher and lifelong activist,  Lee walked from her home in Fort Worth, Texas, to the nation's capital in an effort to get Juneteenth named a national holiday and, after many years, was triumphant!