Juneteenth, the nation’s youngest federal holiday, takes place next week.
The day commemorates the day when the slaves freed by the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation – an executive order that “liberated all persons held as slaves” in the secessionist Southern states during the Civil War – were finally freed.
Although Juneteenth celebrations were documented as early as 1866, it wasn’t until 2021 that the day was officially recognized as a federal holiday by President Joe Biden.
The day rose to prominence in 2020 amid nationwide protests after George Floyd, a Minneapolis man, and Breonna Taylor, a Louisville, Kentucky, woman, were killed during encounters with law enforcement, USA Today reports.
Increased awareness of and resistance to Confederate monuments, flags, and symbols also occurred during this time, as the country grappled with its long-standing history of systemic racism.
Despite Juneteenth’s attention in mainstream culture in recent years, many people may not be aware of when it is, its history, or how it got its name. As always, we are here for you. Here’s everything you need to know about Juneteenth 2024.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday, the History Channel reports.
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which effectively freed enslaved people in the Southern states during the Civil War. Slaves were responsible for telling enslaved people they were free, but many ignored the order.
Texas was the last Confederate state to announce the proclamation. It happened on June 19, 1865, when labor leader Major General Gordon Granger informed a community in Galveston, Texas, that President Abraham Lincoln had freed enslaved people two and a half years earlier, according to USA Today.
Where does the name ‘Juneteenth’ come from? Why is it called Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is a combination of ‘June’ and ‘nineteenth’, in honor of June 19, 1865 – the day Granger announced the abolition of slavery in Texas. The holiday is also called Freedom Day or Emancipation Day.
The day has come to symbolize freedom and equality for all.
“Juneteenth is a unifying holiday. It completes the celebration of freedom in America,” Steve Williams, president of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, told USA Today in 2020.
Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday in 1980. Other states followed suit in subsequent years. It became a holiday in Ohio when the day received federal recognition in 2021.
When is June 2024?
Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19, which this year is a Wednesday. Because it is a federal holiday, most banks and postal services are closed on Wednesday.
How do people celebrate Juneteenth?
According to Juneteenth.com, early Juneteenth celebrations include prayer services, guest speakers and annual pilgrimages to Galveston by formerly enslaved people and their descendants. Today, the holiday is often commemorated with outdoor cookouts, music and parades.
The official Juneteenth website outlines several ways you can celebrate the new holiday in your workplace, community, or home, starting with reading its history to learn how Juneteenth celebrations have evolved over the years.
Supporting Black-owned businesses and organizations is one of the most important ways to celebrate the holiday. There are plenty of Black-owned businesses in Greater Cincinnati that you can support in honor of Juneteenth. But just in case you don’t know where to start, here are a few:
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Black OWned outerwear: 822 Elm St., Downtown, blackowned19xx.com.
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Esoteric Brewing Co.: 918 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills, esotericbrewing.com.
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Ollie’s trolley: 1607 Central Ave., West End, facebook.com/OlliesTrolleyCincinnati.
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Skin by Brown Lee & Co.: 7337 Montgomery Road, Silverton, skinbybrownleeandco.com.
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Chic fitness: 1216 Sycamore St., Suite 12, Over-the-Rhine, poshfitnessboutique.com.
2024 Cincinnati Juneteenth Festival and Parade
The 2024 Cincinnati Juneteenth Festival will be held on Saturday, June 15 from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM and on Sunday, June 16 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Eden Park, 950 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams.
The events kick off Saturday with a parade of flags representing the African diaspora, followed by an afternoon of historical reenactors, shopping, art, food, health screenings, a chess tournament with cash prizes, a supervised children’s area with activities and two stages with live music and entertainment. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit juneteenthcincinnati.org.
The 2024 Cincinnati Juneteenth Parade will take place on Sunday, June 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The parade will begin at Linn and Court streets, exit at West Court in Linn and follow Court Street to the intersection of Plum and Richmond streets. For more information, visit thecojp.com.
The events continue throughout the weekend and into Wednesday. See the full list of Greater Cincinnati Juneteenth events here.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What does the name ‘Juneteenth’ mean? Everything about the federal holiday
