The history behind the newest federal holiday in the U.S. — Juneteenth

U.S. President Joe Biden made Juneteenth an official federal holiday for Americans this week, signing into law a bill commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, which has been celebrated on June 19 by Black Americans for generations.

But the now-156-year-old day of celebration was largely unfamiliar to many non-Black people in the U.S. and around the world until the last year or so.

Juneteenth rose to the forefront in 2020, due in large part to the killings of several Black Americans, the ensuing anti-racism protests and a Trump campaign rally initially planned for the same date. 

Here’s a reminder of the history behind the date. 

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