Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as "Juneteenth," by the newly freed people in Texas.
Juneteenth holds immense significance as a celebration of freedom, achievement, and resilience. It serves as a reminder of the struggles endured by African Americans throughout history and highlights the ongoing fight for civil rights and social justice.
Learn more about Juneteenth and explore the resources of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture.
Explore some of the resources that Glenview Public Library has to offer about Juneteenth and African American history and culture.
Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865, the day when enslaved people in Texas were finally told they were free—over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021.
June 19, also known as Juneteenth, commemorates the date in 1865 when Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation – issued on January 1, 1863 – was read to the remaining enslaved people of Galveston, Texas. It is a day of prayer, remembrance, appreciation of Black culture, and joyous celebration in homage to the incredible endurance, tireless activism, and the power of the Black community.
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