What is Juneteenth? A breakdown on what the holiday commemorates

Juneteenth is a federal holiday recognizing the emancipation of the last enslaved people in the United States.

The word comes from a combination of “June” and “nineteenth” and pays homage to the first unofficial Juneteenth celebration, which took place June 19, 1866.

It became a national holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress that recognized June 19 as Juneteenth.

The historical significance of Juneteenth is that it marks the final abolition of slavery, which happened in Galveston, Texas, two months after the end of the Civil War.

Texas was the last state of the confederacy to officially adhere to the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which declared enslaved people free.

The news of freedom didn’t reach enslaved people living in Texas until two months after the Confederacy surrendered to the Union.

When Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in Galveston and announced that slavery had been abolished, it meant that every enslaved person in the United States had officially been made aware of their newfound freedom.

The first celebration took place in Texas in 1866 and spread, as Texans carried their celebrations into other states across the country.

The holiday is celebrated not just in the United States, but in a number of countries that recognize the end of slavery and the advancements of African American culture and society.

Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth a state holiday in 1980, and a number of other states followed suit.

In Pittsburgh, Juneteenth was officially declared a holiday in August 2020, but the city has hosted celebrations since the 1970s.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf declared Juneteenth a state holiday in 2019 and announced a paid day off for state employees under his jurisdiction.

New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington also give employees a paid holiday, and some companies across the country do the same.

Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans for generations — even when it wasn’t federally recognized — in the form of festivals, parades, cookouts, readings and more.

Many view the holiday as the equivalent of Independence Day in the United States’ history, calling it Emancipation Day, second Independence Day, Freedom Day or Juneteenth Independence Day.

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, Juneteenth’s significance has only increased, and many view it as a much-needed cultural celebration during a time when Black communities are mobilizing against systemic racism.

There is a social and commercial agenda to use the holiday as a means for mobilizing activism and educating the community.

For many, the holiday serves as a reminder of the long battle for freedom in the United States.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.