Juneteenth, short for June 19, commemorates the day federal troops arrived in Texas in 1865 to ensure all the enslaved people in the state be freed. This happened two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, and it still took several months to free all 250,000 enslaved people in Texas. Juneteenth was made a state holiday in Texas in 1979 and a federal holiday in 2021.
Check out these books and movies below to learn more about Juneteenth, historical people that made a difference, and the impact of these events over 100 years later.
Add a comment to: What is Juneteenth?