See photos of Juneteenth celebrations across the U.S.

People across the country will come together today in honor of Juneteenth, a federal holiday that marks the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War. Also called Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth falls annually on June 19, the date in 1865 when the last enslaved groups in Texas were officially freed. 

Communities have paid homage to that date for well over a century, with the earliest documented Juneteenth celebrations dating back to the first anniversary of emancipation in Galveston, Texas, where the news of independence first reached the state a year prior.

Juneteenth became a U.S. holiday under the Biden administration in 2021. Advocates note that for some, learning about the origins, evolution and significance of the holiday can be an important form of observance on its own, but public festivities have also grown tremendously since Juneteenth gained national recognition.