June 19 marks the four-year anniversary of Juneteenth as a federally recognized holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 in which Union soldiers marched into Galveston Bay, Texas to enforce

Juneteenth celebrations took place across the U.S., commemorating the day in 1865 when enslaved Black people in Texas learned of their freedom. While long honored by Black Americans, the holiday has gained broader recognition since becoming a federal holiday in 2021 under President Joe Biden,

Also called Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth falls annually on June 19, the date in 1865 when Union troops brought the news to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, that they had been freed.

Many events were held across the region Thursday in honor of Juneteenth, which commemorates the day Union soldiers announced to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, in 1865, they were free.