Juneteenth is a significant day in U.S. history. The National Museum of African American History and Culture refers to Juneteenth as our country’s second independence day. Short for “June Nineteenth,” it’s also known as “Freedom Day” and “Emancipation Day.”
What Is Juneteenth?
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves in states that rebelled against the Union were now free. Near the end of the Civil War, Union soldiers traveled throughout Confederate states to read the proclamation to slaves.
On June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure all slaves were freed. But the news had yet to reach the slaves in Texas, and they were the last to hear about their freedom. The following year, June 19 became a day of remembrance and “Jubilee Day” for the over 250,000 newly freed slaves.
Juneteenth has since been widely celebrated in the African American community, and is especially significant in Galveston.
Celebrating June 19th, 2023 in Black Lives Matters Plaza. (NurPhoto/Getty Images)
Road to Federal Recognition
Texas became the first state to designate Juneteenth as a holiday in 1980. The summer of 2020’s nationwide protests against police brutality and demanding racial justice brought an increased awareness of Juneteenth and its significance. Finally, on June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth into law as the 11th federally recognized U.S. holiday.
How to Celebrate Juneteenth In DC
📚 Juneteenth Literary Jubilee & Black Author Book Fest (June 18, Downtown) — Planet Word’s annual festival returns, spotlighting Black DMV authors through panels, book signings, and performances.
🧘 Juneteenth At Bryant Street Market (June 19, Edgewood) — Join this wellness block party for yoga and HIIT classes followed by a market of local black owned businesses.
🚶 Juneteenth Jubilee: Freedom & Unity Walk (June 19, Navy Yard) — Walk across the 11th Street Bridge — a symbolic reenactment of enslaved people crossing the Anacostia River into freedom in 1852.
🎉 Ward 7 Juneteenth Parade (June 19, Penn Branch) — Watch from the Penn Branch Shopping Center as colorful floats, marching bands, and community groups honor the history of Juneteenth.
🌱 Juneteenth Freedom Celebration (June 21, Anacostia) — This all-day celebration at the Anacostia Community Museum will have bands, dancing, food trucks, yoga, and urban gardening.
