Tag: enslaved people

The story behind Juneteenth and how it became a federal holiday

June 19th was the day in 1865 when a Union officer reached Galveston, Texas and announced their liberation. It would take another century and a half and lots of rallying for the U.S. government to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Sunday marks Juneteenth’s second year as a state holiday – and over 150 years of Illinois emancipation days

URBANA — This Sunday marks the second year that Juneteenth will be an official state and federal holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the day in 1865 when Union troops marched into Galveston, Texas and forced the Confederate state to free the enslaved. Slavery existed in Illinois too, despite its status as a free state. “Whether we’re talking