There are plenty of Juneteenth events scheduled this month for things to do throughout the Valley to commemorate the emancipation of those who were formerly enslaved in the United States.
Although many Blacks and African Americans celebrated the event throughout the country for years, Juneteenth was proclaimed a federally recognized holiday in 2021. The holiday recognizes the ending of slavery in the U.S., which was June 19, 1865, when the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally heard over two years later about the abolition of slavery despite the Emancipation Proclamation signed in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln, according to historical reports.
Since becoming a federal holiday, Juneteenth events have expanded throughout the Valley. From the beginning to the end of the month and at various times, there are a host of things to do in honor of the jubilant occasion, also called "Freedom Day" as Juneteenth represents freedom from slavery for all Blacks and African Americans in “the former Confederate States of America.”
