Fri. (June 19, 2026) JUNETEENTH--National Independence Day: Juneteenth is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the end of slavery—specifically the day freedom finally reached the last enslaved people in Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863, it couldn’t be enforced in areas still under Confederate control. Freedom didn’t reach Texas until June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston and announced that more than 250,000 enslaved people were free. That moment became known as Juneteenth. The name itself blends “June” and “nineteenth,” marking the date Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 and enforced emancipation in Texas. The holiday began with community gatherings in 1866 and spread across the country as Black families carried the tradition through generations. Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, officially recognized in 2021. It’s often called Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, or Black Independence Day. Celebrations typically include prayer services, music, food, educational events, and festivals that honor African American history, resilience, and cultural achievement.