Juneteenth 2025: History, significance and what's open and closed on federal holiday

Hindustan Times

a day ago

Some holidays are about fireworks, others are about flags. Juneteenth? It commemorates the date when hundreds of thousands of enslaved African Americans in Texas were informed that they were free, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery, was signed.
Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19. This year, it falls on Thursday. It is a day soaked in memory, resistance, and celebration. For many, the day is all about reclaiming a history that was too often buried or ignored. Here's a look at why Juneteenth matters, how it's observed, and what you should know before the day arrives.
Often referred to as America's 'second Independence Day,' Juneteenth marks the day enslaved Black people in Texas finally learned they were free, more than two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. However, it wasn't until June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and made it official.
'The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free,' Granger declared. 'This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor,' he said, as reported by The Tennessean.
The announcement, which came at the tail end of the Civil War, sparked celebrations that would ripple out of Texas and across the American South in the years that followed. As families moved and communities grew, so did the tradition.
Back in the late 1800s, Juneteenth was marked with public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, church services, and community dances.
But celebrating wasn't always easy. Due to segregation laws, Black families were often forced to gather outside city limits. So, communities took action-pooling money to buy land just for Juneteenth festivities. These spaces were often called Emancipation Parks, and many of them are still around.
Today, the spirit of those early celebrations lives on. Across the country, you will find everything from barbecues and parades to educational panels and music festivals. Prayer services, family reunions, and storytelling sessions are part of honoring the day that freedom truly began for all Americans.
Since being officially recognised in 2021, after President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, Juneteenth has joined the list of federal holidays, which means banks and other government facilities will be closed. Here's a look at what's open and closed-
1. When is Juneteenth in 2025?Juneteenth is on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
2. Why is Juneteenth called the 'second Independence Day'?Because it commemorates the actual end of slavery in the US, when enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
3. Is Juneteenth a paid federal holiday?Yes. It became a federal holiday in 2021, giving government employees a paid day off.