What is Juneteenth? The history behind the oldest commemoration of the abolishment of slavery in the US
By Lucia I. Suarez Sang | Fox News
Juneteenth: A holiday Americans need to know about
On June 19, 1865, Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger marched his soldiers to Galveston, Texas to spread the word that slavery had ended in America.
The history behind Juneteenth - or June 19 - is much celebrated across the country, particularly among the black community, to commemorate the end of slavery. 2020 marks the 155th anniversary.
The date became a point of contention when the Trump administration announced recently that it would be holding a major campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., on June 19. The announcement sparked a furor among Democrats and the president's critics for both the date and the location.
Tulsa was the site on a 1921 massacre of black residents and the destruction of black-owned businesses. On June 12, Trump announced he was moving the rally to June 20 "out of respect."
Black Americans began to celebrate Juneteenth in honor of when Texas - the last rebel state - officially abolished slavery.
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On June 19, 1865, Union Major Gen. Gordon Granger and his regiment rode intoGalveston, Texas, with news the Civil War had ended and that the state's more than 250,000 enslaved people were now free.