On July 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, TX to announce and ensure that the enslaved people of Texas were freed. This announcement came two and a half years after Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Juneteenth has been celebrated in the African-American community since 1865 with pageants, parades, and barbeques ever since.
Read more about the history here.
Artwork by: Zola Art Factory