On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued an Emancipation Proclamation that would go into effect on January 1, 1863. After the Union won the Civil War in April 1865, President Lincoln sent Maj. Gen Gordon Granger and soldiers to Galveston, Texas to deliver General Order No. 3 that stated: “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”
The next year, in 1866, the freed people began celebrating Juneteenth in Galveston, Texas with parades, concerts, and the readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.
These celebrations have continued around the nation since that time. Sometimes called by other names such as; Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, and even Black Independence Day.
On January 1, 1980, Texas was the first state to officially make Juneteenth a state holiday. Juneteenth has been since celebrated as a state or ceremonial holiday in 47 states and the District of Columbia.
This year, the Senate and the House overwhelmingly passed the Juneteenth bill, that commemorated the end of slavery in the U.S. making Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden on June 17, 2021 — Juneteenth becomes the country's 11th federal holiday.