People across the country are celebrating Juneteenth National Independence Day.
The big picture: The date, June 19, memorializes when some of the last enslaved people in Texas learned about their freedom under the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865.
- President Biden on Thursday signed into law legislation making Juneteenth the newest federal holiday.
- Many Americans have annually commemorated the anniversary long before the official recognition.
Go deeper: Juneteenth forces U.S. to confront lasting impact of slavery economy
In photos:
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2F0j7cuBpBp6K652M3JlQEbWPuONg%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624130942083.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=985&h=0d04e4f584c2cd85e4fc2e197f92a2e9664f57c83f9e48dea4186157b21ecf2e&size=980x&c=3661994087 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252F0j7cuBpBp6K652M3JlQEbWPuONg%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624130942083.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D985%26h%3D0d04e4f584c2cd85e4fc2e197f92a2e9664f57c83f9e48dea4186157b21ecf2e%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3661994087%22%7D" expand=1]River City Drum Corps leads a march for the Juneteenth commencement of On the Banks of Freedom in Louisville, Ky. Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FMXrNui5oWpx9aUcJ4MKz2OSb_UA%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624127760564.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=573&h=a0a89bf68093b4f8e2e9c67c4c279c947e748570779acdce8707e9588ec91089&size=980x&c=663690483 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FMXrNui5oWpx9aUcJ4MKz2OSb_UA%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624127760564.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D573%26h%3Da0a89bf68093b4f8e2e9c67c4c279c947e748570779acdce8707e9588ec91089%26size%3D980x%26c%3D663690483%22%7D" expand=1] Terrance Floyd at the unveiling of a statute dedicated to his brother George Floyd at Flatbush Junction on June 19, 2021, in Brooklyn. Photo: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FI9PDjLPhV-2L0-0MOQkLt5uKhFA%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624127861179.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=57&h=7d9f670cd64116c8b547ed5c86fd9f2fbe91411bdaef47d5bc77407db4537a3c&size=980x&c=2049189208 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FI9PDjLPhV-2L0-0MOQkLt5uKhFA%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624127861179.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D57%26h%3D7d9f670cd64116c8b547ed5c86fd9f2fbe91411bdaef47d5bc77407db4537a3c%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2049189208%22%7D" expand=1] Celebrations in Harlem, New York City. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FuDFyMyagoyG56fs4pY5knzKtUXs%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624127989875.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=592&h=2f3b2be7587013d978428a1ab278b58be9840643fcf96617557fc1aa4e99d1a3&size=980x&c=349558634 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FuDFyMyagoyG56fs4pY5knzKtUXs%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624127989875.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D592%26h%3D2f3b2be7587013d978428a1ab278b58be9840643fcf96617557fc1aa4e99d1a3%26size%3D980x%26c%3D349558634%22%7D" expand=1] Participants practice yoga during a community yoga class alongside Interstate 244 during the Juneteenth Festival in Tulsa, Okla. Photo: Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FrzAxgqx-OZfAID-f3ZZSz96Kebs%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624128190605.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=451&h=7ad749b90072f7beb5bc08c4da9c9dfe465b199bef5408fc107aed77bcf181b6&size=980x&c=661263795 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FrzAxgqx-OZfAID-f3ZZSz96Kebs%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624128190605.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D451%26h%3D7ad749b90072f7beb5bc08c4da9c9dfe465b199bef5408fc107aed77bcf181b6%26size%3D980x%26c%3D661263795%22%7D" expand=1] A father and son take a selfie at the Black Wall Street Memorial during the Juneteenth Festival in the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Okla. Photo: Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FIiKXQQEWmcZTKqP8iYHmIXKiC_U%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624128359198.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=134&h=3e8ca5628b382f2085e3f81efb10365ff4637d1505015ab785d2b56eb4f14819&size=980x&c=3487697701 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FIiKXQQEWmcZTKqP8iYHmIXKiC_U%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624128359198.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D134%26h%3D3e8ca5628b382f2085e3f81efb10365ff4637d1505015ab785d2b56eb4f14819%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3487697701%22%7D" expand=1] A young person writes Juneteenth on a wall in chalk during the All Nations Worship Assembly Russell Neighborhood Juneteenth Celebration in Louisville, Ky. Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2F0-132XqooHwQQBMR4pugfv1CQFc%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624128435652.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=693&h=9381c41f6bfbbb5099b1a5412ad500d7a95179c0b6e00d14a0c84b1c9e2996db&size=980x&c=2656911801 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252F0-132XqooHwQQBMR4pugfv1CQFc%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624128435652.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D693%26h%3D9381c41f6bfbbb5099b1a5412ad500d7a95179c0b6e00d14a0c84b1c9e2996db%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2656911801%22%7D" expand=1] Dancers of the P.U.S.H. (Practice Until Something Happens) dance team preform at a Juneteenth rally at the Brooklyn Library. Photo: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FUWj32bgKL2F9a1Au-z9kAeJ4EA4%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624128528642.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=861&h=16b98c80e10425db4d0ef3f7d848588c5f91dc1d58c0b30dce1c2e4b6f2b56eb&size=980x&c=814938366 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FUWj32bgKL2F9a1Au-z9kAeJ4EA4%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624128528642.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D861%26h%3D16b98c80e10425db4d0ef3f7d848588c5f91dc1d58c0b30dce1c2e4b6f2b56eb%26size%3D980x%26c%3D814938366%22%7D" expand=1] Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at the event as a new Federal Holiday ''Juneteenth'' is celebrated in the heart of Harlem, New York City. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FRBQn2OsSi16pMMrJtd-LsyuqKIc%3D%2F2021%2F06%2F19%2F1624130102667.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=32&h=8a770d7433c0a37bcb057ad361a810c43c92b80f75bbd9fcd160bc68d2f607fa&size=980x&c=3741976655 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FRBQn2OsSi16pMMrJtd-LsyuqKIc%253D%252F2021%252F06%252F19%252F1624130102667.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D32%26h%3D8a770d7433c0a37bcb057ad361a810c43c92b80f75bbd9fcd160bc68d2f607fa%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3741976655%22%7D" expand=1] Women pose for a photo before entering a neighborhood Juneteenth celebration in Louisville, Ky. Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Keep reading...
Show less
