Americans mark fifth federal Juneteenth holiday nationwide (opens in new tab)

Americans marked Juneteenth on June 19, 2026, the fifth observance since Congress and President Joe Biden established it as a federal holiday in 2021. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced freedom for enslaved people there after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863. The 2026 observance included community celebrations, museum events, parades, church commemorations and public discussions in places inclu...