(Reuters) -Juneteenth, a day that marks the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, is always observed on June 19 each year. It became a U.S. federal holiday in 2021, following the signing of a bill by former President Joe Biden.
Long a regional holiday in the South, Juneteenth rose in prominence across the country following protests that swept the world in 2020 over the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and other Black Americans.
WHEN IS JUNETEENTH?
Juneteenth, a combination of the words June and 19th, is also known as Emancipation Day. It commemorates the day in 1865 – after the Confederate states surrendered to end the Civil War – when a Union general arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform a group of enslaved African Americans of their freedom under President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.
Texas officially declared Juneteenth a holiday in 1980. At least 28 states and the District of Columbia now legally recognize Juneteenth as state holidays and give state workers a paid day off.
Although in part a celebration, the day is also observed solemnly to honor those who suffered the horrors of slavery in the 400 years since the first captive Africans arrived in the colonies that would eventually become the United States.
WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT JUNETEENTH THIS YEAR?
This year’s Juneteenth celebrations come amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the federal government and weaken civil rights legislation.
Trump has issued a series of sweeping executive orders that advocacy groups and experts warn might deepen inequities and undo decades of progress made toward enshrining civil rights protections.
The administration has also removed, sometimes briefly, historical content about Black Americans and other communities of color from government websites.
The White House has announced no formal plans to mark the Juneteenth holiday, which was celebrated with large parties attended by thousands of guests on the South Lawn under former President Biden.
It remains unclear if Trump will participate in any events that day.
Now in its fifth year as a federal holiday, all U.S. government employees and any private business that participates have the day off from work. Not all state governments recognize the holiday, however, meaning state employees in those states are expected to work. To enshrine Juneteenth in any state, its legislature would have to pass bills to make it a permanent holiday.
Race remains a sensitive issue in the United States, five years after tensions flared over Floyd’s killing at the hands of police, which led to calls for sweeping criminal justice reform and attention to other racial inequities. Federal reform efforts have largely stalled or failed to pass and the Department of Justice dropped police oversight last month spurred by Floyd and other Black Americans.
Across the nation, some conservatives are trying to change the way Black history is taught in public schools, another sign of the deep tensions in the United States, which imposed a draconian system of racial segregation on Black Americans following emancipation.
A January executive order banned schools from teachings Trump called “indoctrination” of students based on race and gender, which has received pushback from educators nationwide.
Yet, advocates have pledged to continue to push for racial justice reform efforts.
HOW ARE PEOPLE MARKING JUNETEENTH?
Americans are marking the 160th anniversary of emancipation with festive meals, music, gatherings and “freedom walks.” Traditionally, celebrations have included parades and marches.
People are also celebrating the holiday by organizing for civil rights, reading books about African American heritage and history, attending festivals and musical performances, and dining at Black-owned restaurants.
Meanwhile, other events are likely to strike a more somber tone, with advocates using the day to draw attention to ongoing racial inequities.
(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta and Andrea Shalal in Washington DC; Editing by Kat Stafford and Aurora Ellis)
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