Juneteenth Explained

Juneteenth, a combination of June and 19th, marks the anniversary of the last enslaved people being freed in the U.S. The election of Abraham Lincoln led to the Civil War, as Southern states feared the abolition of slavery. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom for enslaved people in Confederate territories, but enforcement was delayed in Texas. The Civil War ended in April 1865, and on June 19th, Major General Gordon Granger enforced emancipation in Texas. Juneteenth was celebrated in Texas and later became a national holiday in 2021, honoring the resilience of Black Americans and the abolition of slavery.

Why was Juneteenth celebrated initially in Texas?

What does Juneteenth honor in relation to black Americans?