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-Editorial
While July 4 marks the birth of the United States, June 19, known as Juneteenth, commemorates a pivotal moment in the nation’s journey toward freedom. On that day in 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with federal troops to announce the end of the Civil War and enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. More than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation, thousands of enslaved people in Texas, the last stronghold of institutional slavery, finally learned they were free.
Originally celebrated in Texas beginning in 1866 with church gatherings and community events, Juneteenth spread as Black Americans moved across the country. As African Americans sought new opportunities beyond the South during the Great Migration, they brought their Juneteenth traditions, establishing the holiday in cities such as Los Angeles and Oakland. These celebrations evolved to include parades, music, food festivals, and educational events.
Juneteenth gained renewed visibility during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and again in the 1970s with an emphasis on African American culture and heritage. In 1980, Texas became the first state to officially recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. Gradually, other states followed. As of 2024, 27 states and the District of Columbia observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday for state employees.
In 2021, the holiday was formally established as Juneteenth National Independence Day by an act of Congress, signed into law by President Joe Biden. This made Juneteenth the eleventh official federal holiday, and the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created in 1983. Federal offices, banks, stock markets, and many private businesses now close in recognition of the day.
California is among the states that officially observe Juneteenth as a state holiday, affirming the importance of acknowledging the nation’s full history, including its darker chapters. State leaders have emphasized the importance of confronting that history as the nation continues to strive toward its founding ideals of liberty and justice for all.
In recent years, the holiday has also been marked by debates over how American history is taught and remembered. While Juneteenth is a time of celebration, it also serves as a reminder of unfinished progress. General Granger’s 1865 order called for “absolute equality,” a promise that many argue remains unfulfilled.
The Juneteenth flag, first designed by activist Ben Haith in 1997 and later refined, symbolizes this ongoing struggle. The star at its center represents Texas, where the last enslaved Americans were freed, while the red, white, and blue color scheme reflects the nation’s flag—underscoring that African Americans are an inseparable part of the American story.