Explore the events, people, and milestones that shaped Juneteenth in United States.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, informing the people of Texas that enslaved people were free. Its name combines June and nineteenth.
Archival papers and an inkwell recall the history behind General Order No. 3.
President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863. It declared enslaved people in states or areas in rebellion to be free, but enforcement depended on the advance and presence of Union forces.
On June 19, 1865, U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston. The order informed the people of Texas that, in accordance with the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved people were free. The date became the foundation of Juneteenth.
African American communities in Texas began formal Juneteenth celebrations in 1866, and the observance later spread beyond the state. On June 17, 2021, Public Law 117-17 designated June 19 as the federal legal public holiday Juneteenth National Independence Day.
The Emancipation Proclamation takes effect.
Gordon Granger issues General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas.
African American communities in Texas begin formal annual Juneteenth celebrations.
The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act becomes Public Law 117-17.
Clear answers about the date, meaning, and observance.
Juneteenth in 2026 is Friday, June 19, 2026.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when General Order No. 3 informed the people of Texas that enslaved people were free.
The name is a combination of June and nineteenth.
Juneteenth became a federal legal public holiday on June 17, 2021, through Public Law 117-17.
The observance is rooted in Galveston, Texas, where General Order No. 3 was issued on June 19, 1865.