Today Change Matrix, and America, celebrates Juneteenth. Just two days ago, President Biden signed Juneteenth into law, making it a federal holiday. Activists have been working for decades to advocate for Juneteenth to be recognized as a national holiday, marking 2021’s celebration as an even more historic date.

What is Juneteenth?

On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that enslaved people in the Confederate states would be free. It is a common misconception that the proclamation ended slavery — the news of the Emancipation Proclamation hadn’t reached all of America. More than two years passed before enslaved people in Texas heard the news. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas declaring that slavery had been abolished. Though many plantation owners refused to recognize this and would not release enslaved people on their properties for a few years to come, that day has been marked Juneteenth and is celebrated annually by Black people across America as the day enslaved people were actually freed.

How to Celebrate Juneteenth:

Across America, Black people celebrate Juneteenth with parties, festivals, and family gatherings full of music, food, and reflection. Whether you identify as Black or not, you can celebrate this holiday! Juneteenth is a time to appreciate Black Culture and history — a time to listen, learn, and reflect. For allies, share in festivities but don’t assume the space is for you — it is an honor to be included and use this opportunity to revel in Black joy and appreciate culture. Besides attending events, the following are several ways anyone can celebrate Juneteenth: