Every year on June 19th, Americans celebrate Juneteenth, a powerful and meaningful holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is a day of reflection, remembrance, and renewed commitment to justice and equality. While its recognition as a federal holiday is recent, its roots trace back more than 150 years—and its significance is as profound today as it was in 1865.

Juneteenth marks the date in 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, officially informing enslaved African Americans that they were free. This came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln (R) had issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The delay was due in part to resistance to the enforcement of emancipation in former Confederate states.

For many enslaved people in Texas, June 19, 1865, was the first time they heard the news that their freedom had been legally granted. That moment of liberation —though long overdue — ignited celebrations, hope, and the birth of a new tradition.

Even in the aftermath of emancipation, the fight for full citizenship and equal protection under the law was far from over. After the Civil War, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was introduced to grant citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to formerly enslaved people. But then-President Andrew Johnson (D) fiercely opposed the amendment, vetoing key civil rights legislation and aligning with Southern Democrats who sought to maintain white supremacy through restrictive laws and racial violence. His resistance underscored the persistent institutional barriers Black Americans faced — even in freedom.

Juneteenth is more than just a historical milestone — it is a reminder that freedom must be protected, justice must be pursued, and equality must be realized for all Americans. It’s an opportunity to recognize the resilience of those who came before us and to ensure that the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is fully realized — not just in words, but in policy, opportunity, and lived experience.