Juneteenth, marked each year on June 19, commemorates one of the final acts of emancipation of slaves in the U.S.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth traces its origins back to Galveston, Texas where on June 19, 1865 Union soldiers, led by Major Gen. Gordon Granger landed in the city with news that the Civil War had ended and slaves were now free. The announcement came two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of Jan. 1, 1863 that freed slaves in Confederate states. However, since that proclamation was made during the Civil War, it was ignored by Confederate states and it wasn’t until the end of the war that the Executive Order was enforced in the South.

The day’s name is a combination of “June” and “nineteenth” in honor of the date of Granger’s announcement and first appeared around 1903. It is also known as African American Freedom Day or Emancipation Day.

Juneteenth became a federal holiday on June 17 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

What’s open, what’s closed?

As a federal holiday, government offices are closed on June 19. Here’s a look at what else is open and what’s closed:

• Federal government – Offices closed
• State government – State offices, including DMV and courts, are closed
• U.S. Post Office – Closed. There will be no mail delivery Thursday
• Financial markets – New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq closed
• Banks – Closed

What’s open?

Retail businesses, including Walgreens, Target and Costco, will be open on Juneteenth. Grocery stores and restaurants will also be open.