Day off for Juneteenth in United States ― Date, History, and Details
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History of Day off for Juneteenth in United States and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the emancipation of slaves in the United States. It is also known as Freedom Day, Liberation Day, or Emancipation Day. It is observed annually on June 19, the date on which Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, declared that all slaves in rebel states were to be free. However, news of the Proclamation did not reach many slaves in Texas until 1865. On June 18, 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with 2,000 Union troops and read General Order No. 3, which announced the total emancipation of all slaves:
“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 freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
Although Juneteenth is not a federal holiday, it is celebrated across the United States, particularly in communities with a large African American population. In some states, it is a public holiday, while in others it is a day of observance. celebrations typically include parades, picnics, barbecues, and other festive events.