As Juneteenth Goes National, Its Texas Roots Remain Central

As Juneteenth Goes National, Its Texas Roots Remain Central

As Juneteenth celebrations take place across the country this week, many Americans will attend festivals, community gatherings and cookouts commemorating June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom. For generations, Black Texans preserved Juneteenth before it became a federal holiday in 2021. According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the holid…