This day, celebrated every year on June 19, is the anniversary of the news delivered by Major General Gordon Granger in 1865 proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas.

Granger delivered General Order No. 3, which said: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”

President Joe Biden signed into legislation a bill on June 17, 2021, making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

Learn more about how and why our newest federal holiday came to be by visiting PBS.org.