About Juneteenth
The 158th anniversary of Juneteenth will take place on Monday, June 19. Juneteenth celebrates and honors the end of slavery in the United States by marking the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and General Granger announced the following:
"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer."
Although the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863 and Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered on April 9, 1865 in Virginia, the enslavement of approximately 250,000 Black Americans in Texas had remained relatively unaffected until the arrival of Union troops.
Celebrations date to 1866, at first involving church-centered community gatherings in Texas. It spread across the South and became more commercialized in the 1920s and 1930s, often centering on a food festival. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, it was eclipsed by the struggle for postwar civil rights, but grew in popularity again in the 1970s with a focus on African American freedom and arts.
In 1980, Texas was the first state to designate Juneteenth as a state holiday. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 but is considered the longest running African American holiday in the United States.
Juneteenth is also referred to as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day.
Juneteenth Events and Resources
Celebrate Juneteenth in Boston at these 10 events
This NBC Boston article highlights local events happening over the next week, including festivals, a poetry reading, and a flag raising.
Shop at Black Owned Businesses
This online directory provides a searchable list of Black and African American Owned Businesses in Boston, Cambridge, New Bedford, Newton, and other cities within the state.
Explore the Smithsonian's Juneteenth Reading List
Learn about the history of Juneteenth and African American cultural traditions with a summer reading list curated by the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Learn about the NAACP’s 2023 Juneteenth Campaign
This year’s campaign theme is “Black and Thriving.” Watch videos about the campaign and learn about the actions needed to ensure all black communities across the country are thriving.