Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.  Note, that then President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became official on January 1, 1863; but it was two and a half years after the Proclamation, on June 19th, 1865, that General Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

This year marks the 150th Juneteenth, World Wide Celebration. Those interested in attending events on June 19th, 2016 or learning more about the history of Juneteenth, please visit and check for regular updates at www.juneteenthminnesota.org.