Juneteenth, a federal holiday also known as Freedom Day and Emancipation Day and celebrated on June 19, commemorates the date—June 19, 1865—when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people—more than 250,000 Black people in the state—be freed.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, some states under Confederate jurisdiction—including Texas—did not implement it until years later. The troops' arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and freed the last enslaved people in the country.
Juneteenth, originally called Jubilee Day, is the oldest nationally celebrated remembrance of the ending of slavery in the United States. It is a day to not only celebrate, but also to reflect on the history, spirit, and profound contributions of generations of African Americans to the story of America.
To find out about the Juneteenth celebrations in the area, check out the Visit Austin website.