How did Juneteenth get its name? Here’s the story behind the holiday’s title

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, gets its name from a combination of “June” and “nineteenth.” This date marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that all enslaved people were now free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. The annual celebration of Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and serves as a reminder of the struggles and triumphs of African Americans throughout history.

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