By: Katherine Huang

Do you know about the federal holiday Juneteenth? Or why Juneteenth is celebrated? In this article, you’ll learn what Juneteenth stands for, why it became a holiday, and who made it a holiday.

First, what does Juneteenth stand for? Juneteenth represents the end of slavery in the US and the emancipating of US slaves. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, since communication was slow, word didn’t reach the last enslaved Black people until June 19, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to Galveston, Texas. According to CNBC, a business news channel owned by NBCUniversal, “Under the legislation, the federal holiday would be known as Juneteenth National Independence Day,”

Why did Juneteenth become a holiday? According to Wall Street Journal, “Congressional leaders from both parties said establishing the holiday was an important gesture in recognizing those who suffered under American slavery and as an act of racial reconciliation.”

President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a holiday on June 17, 2022. The bill passed the Senate unanimously and was approved 415-14 in the House. According to AP News, “President Joe Biden hosted a massive concert on the South Lawn of the White House to commemorate Juneteenth, the country’s newest federal holiday which the president said will “breathe a new life in the very essence of America.”

In conclusion, I talked about what Juneteenth is, what it stands for, why it became a holiday, and who made it a holiday. What do you think of Juneteenth? What are you doing to celebrate Juneteenth?