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Juneteenth is an annual holiday
celebrated on June 19th,

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commemorating the end of
slavery in the United States.

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It has been around
for over 150 years.

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It all began on June 19th, 1865,
when union soldiers arrived

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in Galveston, Texas, with news
that the Civil War was over

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and that enslaved
peoples were to be freed.

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Even though the
Emancipation Proclamation

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had been issued more
than two years earlier,

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it had little effect at the time
of signing as news of the order

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had not reached the enslaved
population of Texas.

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The first major
Juneteenth celebration

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was held in Austin,
Texas, in 1866. By 1872,

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the celebration had been added
to a calendar of public events,

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and that year, black
leaders in Texas

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purchased 10 acres of land
to celebrate Juneteenth.

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Juneteenth was
informally celebrated up

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until 1980, when Texas
became the first state

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to proclaim Emancipation Day
as an official state holiday.

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Today, nearly all 50
states mark Juneteenth

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as either a date of
observance or a state holiday.

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Over the years, Juneteenth
has been celebrated

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by Black Americans all over the
country in many different ways.

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On many occasions, an assortment
of red foods and drinks

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are prepared to
symbolize perseverance.

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But celebrations can range
from small family gatherings

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and backyard barbecues to
Grand festivals and parades

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featuring exhibitions of
African-American music,

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literature, dance
and more.

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More can be done to further
support juneteenth,

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such as local and
state governments,

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formally recognizing
the history and culture

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of the day and companies and
local businesses incorporating

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it into their calendars
even before it

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becomes a national holiday.

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Ultimately, Juneteenth is
much more than a holiday.

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It is a day for black Americans
to celebrate freedom, culture

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and heritage, and for everyone
to recognize and commemorate

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this pivotal moment
in American history.