Juneteenth
Juneteenth (full name Juneteenth National Independence Day, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Liberation Day) is a holiday in the United States on June 19. It is a memory of June 19, 1865, when the slaves in Texas got their freedom and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The name Juneteenth is a short form of June nineteenth. It became a recognized federal holiday in June 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.
The first celebration of Juneteenth was in 1866. Over the years, it was sometimes more popular, and sometimes less popular. Texas was the first state to make it an official holiday in 1979. After George Floyd was killed in 2020, many people wanted to show their support for black rights.
On Juneteenth, Americans do these things:
- Hold parades
- Eat barbeque
- Bake desserts, such as cakes and cookies
Pictures
File:Juneteenth Celebration at Emancipation Park, 1880.png|African Americans on Juneteenth in Houston, Texas, 1880 File:Emancipation Day celebration - 1900-06-19.jpg|Old African Americans on Juneteenth in Texas, 1900 File:US Navy 060617-N-3271W-004 Reserve Deputy Commander, Commander Navy Installations, Rear Adm. Julius Caesar, speak to youths as they prepare to march in the annual Juneteenth Festival.jpg|A rear Admiral of the United States Navy speaks to young people who are preparing the Juneteenth march in San Francisco, 2006 File:Governor Wolf Declares “Juneteenth National Freedom Day” in Pennsylvania.jpg|Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania makes June 19 to “Juneteenth National Freedom Day”
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