In news– Juneteenth Day is observed on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the US.
About the day
- It is also called Emancipation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day.
- The name “Juneteenth” references the date of the holiday, combining the words “June” and “nineteenth.”
- In 1865 an Order Number 3 was issued, which stated the freedom of all slaves by the issue of Emancipation Proclamation, by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863.
- It marked the first anniversary of the day that African Americans there first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, more than two years after it was initially issued.
- The holiday was originally celebrated with prayer meetings and by singing spirituals and wearing new clothes to represent newfound freedom.
- Texas was the last state to recognize the proclamation and hence June 19th or “Juneteenth” became the official day.
- In 2021, US President declared Juneteenth a holiday and enacted it into law.
Source: Economic Times
