A holiday celebrated in the United States to recognise and honour African American heritage by commemorating slavery's abolition in Texas, 1865. Juneteenth is a portmanteau, combining June and nineteenth. Juneteenth is a recognised holiday in 37 US states and will become a national holiday if a joint legislation proposed by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is approved.

Though Proclamation of Emacipation was issued on September 22, 1862, it had minimal effect in the beginning. On June 18, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger and 2000 federal troops were sent to Galveston, Texas to enforce the emancipation of slaves. On June 19th, Granger read the "General Order No. 3" which declared that slaves were free.