Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, is an American holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the abolitionof slavery in the U.S. state of Texas, and more generally the emancipation of African-American slaves throughout the former Confederacy of the southern United States. Celebrated on June 19, the word is a portmanteau of "June" and "nineteenth".[1][2] Juneteenth is recognized as a state holiday or special day of observance in forty-five states.[3]
The holiday is observed primarily in local celebrations. Traditions include public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, singing traditional songs such as "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing", and readings by noted African-American writers such as Ralph Ellison and Maya Angelou.[4] Celebrations may include parades, rodeos, street fairs, cookouts, family reunions, park parties, historical reenactments, or Miss Juneteenth contests.[5] The Mascogos, descendants of Black Seminoles, of Coahuila, Mexico also celebrate the Juneteenth.[6]
