Updated on June 11th by Town Historian Al Dumas

Juneteenth is coming up on Wednesday, June 19th. Wondering why we celebrate Juneteenth on this date? I’ll share the history behind this important holiday…But first, I wanted to let you know about the upcoming Juneteenth event on June 19th right here in Monticello hosted by the NAACP – Sullivan County Chapter.

All About Juneteenth

The Juneteenth holiday came about from the ending of slavery in the United States in1865 when the Confederate Army, under General Robert E. Lee, surrendered to the Union Army under Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on April 9th.

The news of the surrender reached Galveston, Texas on June 19th upon the arrival of 2,000 Union troops announcing that 250,000 slaves in the State of Texas were free by executive decree. The slaves of this region promptly made June 19th a day of celebration upon their knowledge of being emancipated. For over 100 years, the decree was discussed, with Texas making the first move, declaring Juneteenth a state holiday in 1980.

Public awareness of Juneteenth grew in 2020 amid nationwide protests after the police killings of several Black Americans, including George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville. New York State began observing Juneteenth in 2004, making it a state holiday in 2020. In 2021, President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a Federal Holiday. In addition, a few cities in the United States have recently declared Juneteenth a holiday, this includes New York City, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

Below are the states who have made Juneteenth a holiday and the year in which it became official.

 

Colorado (2022)

Connecticut (2023)

Delaware (2022)

District Of Columbia (2021)

Georgia (2022)

Idaho (2021)

Illinois (2021)

Louisiana (2022)

Maine (2022)

Maryland (2022)

Massachusetts (2021)

Missouri (2022)

Nebraska (2022)

New Jersey (2021)

New Mexico (2022)

New York (2020)

Ohio (2021)

Oregon (2022)

Pennsylvania (2019)

South Dakota (2022)

Texas (1980)

Utah (2022)

Virginia (2020)

Washington (2022)

West Virginia (2021)