Juneteenth 2024: A Day of Celebration and Education
Juneteenth: A Holiday with a Rich History
Three years after it was made a federal holiday, Juneteenth 2024 marks a day of celebration as well as education. This year, Juneteenth falls on Wednesday, June 19, and is an opportunity to reflect on the significance of this important day in American history.
The End of Slavery
Juneteenth commemorates the day when Union soldiers enforced the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all remaining slaves in the United States. The proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, officially abolished slavery in the Confederate states. However, it took two and a half years for news of this event to reach Texas, the last Confederate state to surrender.
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and read General Order No. 3, which announced the end of slavery in the state.
A Day of Celebration and Reflection
Since then, Juneteenth has been celebrated as a day of freedom and liberation. It is a time to remember the struggles and triumphs of the past, and to celebrate the progress that has been made in the fight for racial equality.
In 2021, President Biden signed a bill into law making Juneteenth a federal holiday. This is an important step in recognizing the importance of the day and in ensuring that it is celebrated and commemorated by all Americans.
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