Juneteenth, is celebrated each year on June 19th to mark the day in 1865 when union troops arrived in Galveston, TX to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved Black people in America. The proclamation was actually signed in September of 1862 and made effective January 1, 1863, two years prior by President Abraham Lincoln.

The idea that enslaved people in Texas were completely unaware of their freedoms is a common myth. Many enslaved individuals already new about the proclamation but remained in bondage due to resistance from slaveholders. Juneteenth is often referred to as “Freedom Day”, symbolizing the delayed but hard-fought liberation of Black people in America.

Thanks to decades of advocacy by Dr. Ronald V. Meyers who traveled state to state petitioning political leaders, Juneteenth became a holiday in 42 states in America. His work to have Juneteenth recognized at the state level laid the foundation for Juneteenth to become a national holiday. His work inspired a retired teacher, Opal Lee, who joined him in his effort. Opal Lee, who is known as the grandmother of Juneteenth, set out to walk from Fort Worth, TX to Washington, DC in order to raise awareness of the Juneteenth Holiday quest. She witnessed her dream come true when Juneteenth became a national holiday on June 17, 2021, under the Biden administration. Although Black communities had been celebrating it for generations. Opal Lee is called the grandmother of Juneteenth, and she says Dr. Ronald V. Meyers should be called the father of Juneteenth. Opal Lee was honored to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom on May 3, 2024. It is America’s highest civilian honor. The holiday is now celebrated with parades, cookouts, cultural performances, and historical reflections. These are the many ways Black people can ensure the legacy of emancipation is never forgotten.