Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865 the Union Soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that slavery had been abolished.
On June 1, 1980 Al Edwards, an African American legislator, was successful in having Juneteenth become an official state holiday. Edwards has continued to try to have all of America observe Juneteenth.
Today, Juneteenth celebrates African American achievement and freedom while promoting respect for all cultures.
The Waukegan Public Library is proud to be a sponsor of the 9th Annual Juneteenth Conference & Festival in Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, June 16, 2010 from 10am to 6pm. Join us downtown Waukegan at the corner of Madison Avenue and Genesee Street as we take part in the worldwide celebration.
For more information about the Juneteenth Festival in Lake County, visit the Juneteenth Cultural Committee of Lake County website.
National Juneteenth History links:
Juneteenth: Our Other Day Independence Day This Smithsonian article shares the history of Juneteenth and how it has grown over the past few decades.
Time article This article describes how Juneteenth became a legal holiday in the state of Texas.