Eraclides Gelman Hall Indek Goodman Waters & Traverso recognizes the significance of June 19, 1865, commonly referred to as Juneteenth, a historical date in American history. Juneteenth is many times referred to as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day. Juneteenth is a celebration of the abolition of slavery in the United States. This year we celebrate the 156-year-old emancipation of slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery and was signed on January 1, 1863, however more than 250,000 black Americans remained enslaved, until Major General Gordon Granger of the Union Army arrived in Galvaston, Texas and announced an end to slavery on June 19, 1865.

 In 1980, Juneteenth became a Texas state holiday. In the decades since, every state but South Dakota came to officially commemorate Juneteenth, but only a handful of states observe it as a paid holiday.

On Tuesday, June 15, 2021, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution establishing June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, a US holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It was a bipartisan effort by members of Congress to make Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday. The measure passed the House and has been signed into law by President Joe Biden.

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