Juneteenth: A New Federal Holiday Celebrating Freedom

Celebrating the End of Slavery

President Biden Signs Bill Establishing Juneteenth as a Federal Holiday

President Biden has signed a bill into law establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Juneteenth, which falls on June 19th, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

In 2021, Juneteenth became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983. The bill was passed by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support.

"Juneteenth is a day of celebration, remembrance, and reflection," Biden said in a statement. "It is a time to celebrate the progress we have made as a nation, and to recommit ourselves to the fight for justice and equality for all."

A Day of Celebration and Remembrance

Juneteenth has been celebrated in African American communities for over 150 years. It marks the day, June 19, 1865, when news of the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been signed two years earlier, finally reached enslaved people in Texas.

On Juneteenth, people across the country gather for parades, festivals, and other events to celebrate freedom and commemorate the struggles of the past.

A Time for Reflection and Renewal

Juneteenth is also a time for reflection and renewal. It is a reminder of the ongoing fight for racial justice and equality in the United States.

"Juneteenth is a time to reflect on the past, but it is also a time to look forward to the future," Biden said. "It is a day to recommit ourselves to the work of building a more just and equitable society for all."