Juneteenth 2024
June 19 marks Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day. More than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, which declared “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebellious areas “are, and henceforward shall be free,” the decree had not been implemented in areas still under Confederate control. On June 19, 1865, freedom came when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, with the long-awaited news that more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree. This day became known as Juneteenth.
To learn more about Juneteenth, its history and significance, take a look at the resources below:
- National Museum of African American History and Culture – Juneteenth
- NAACP – Juneteenth
- The New York Times – The History of Juneteenth
- Associated Press – The beginner’s guide to celebrating Juneteenth
In observance of Juneteenth, HMA Public Relations will be closed on June 19 and will resume regular business hours on June 20.
