Juneteenth is an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War.
The holiday, observed on June 19, is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, and has been celebrated by communities across the country for more than a century.
But Juneteenth didn’t become federally-recognized until 2021, when President Biden signed legislation adding it to the government holiday calendar after both its name and significance rose to the forefront of national conversations the previous year with the resurgence of Black Lives Matter.
Biden said at the ceremony,
All Americans can feel the power of this day, and learn from our history.”
The law immediately went into effect with his signature, and the first Juneteenth, as a national holiday, was observed the following day two years ago on June 18, 2021.
