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The History of Juneteenth
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and read aloud the order that changed history. According to the Smithsonian Institute, Granger declared:
"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer."
This order freed approximately 250,000 enslaved people in Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
The holiday's name, explains Kelly Navies, museum specialist and oral historian at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is simply "June + 19 = Juneteenth."
Angela Tate, former museum curator of women's history at the same institution, states that Juneteenth "is part of a continuum of moments where African Americans have advocated for their full participation in American citizenship and commanded the maintenance of the memory of our history and culture in the face of resistance and racism."
Juneteenth became a federal holiday through the tireless work of Ms. Opal Lee, the "Grandmother of Juneteenth". who celebrates her 100th birthday in 2026.
Juneteenth in Western North Carolina
Western North Carolina honors the holiday with community celebrations each June. See the listings below.