When General Lee surrendered in 1865, the slow march towards a fully free nation was only just beginning. It's important to understand that the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 didn't immediately free all enslaved people - its enforcement depended on the advance of Union troops. Word of the Confederacy's defeat traveled by post and word-of-mouth, leaving many of the enslaved in the dark for weeks or months. Texas, due to its remote location and lack of major battle action, remained largely untouched and uninformed about the upheavals happening in the rest of the country.

When Major General Gordon Granger and his Union troops finally arrived in Galveston in June of 1865, his news did not only end the suffering of the last U.S. slaves - it marked the fall of a deeply entrenched institution that had defined the South for more than two centuries. Families reunited as thousands looked forward to having opportunities for education, employment, and the simple freedom of movement without fear of punishment.

Over time, June 19th began to hold a significant place in the hearts and minds of the freed people. The first celebrations - originally known as “Jubilee Day” - began the following year in 1866. Jubilee Day was a time of prayer, family gatherings, and joyful festivities, acknowledging the hardships of the past while celebrating the promise of freedom. As the tradition evolved, it became known as "Juneteenth” - a combination of "June" and "nineteenth.” For many years, Juneteenth remained a largely unacknowledged event outside of the Black community. However, on June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday in the United States. This step, taken during a larger conversation about racial justice, was widely seen as an acknowledgment of both the historical injustices of slavery and the ongoing struggle for racial justice in the United States.