Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is an American holiday celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery. Although the Emancipation Proclamation had formally freed slaves two and a half years prior, June 19, 1865, marks the enforcement of the Proclamation, which is when Union General Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas. Juneteenth became a state holiday in Texas in 1980, and a number of other states subsequently followed suit. The day is also celebrated outside the United States, with organizations in a number of countries using the day to recognize the end of slavery and to celebrate the culture and achievements of African Americans. The following […]