Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is an annual holiday in fourteen states of the United States. Celebrated on June 19, it commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas.

The holiday originated in Galveston, Texas; for more than a century, the state of Texas was the primary home of Juneteenth celebrations. Since 1980, Juneteenth has been an official state holiday in Texas.

It is considered a "partial staffing holiday" meaning that state offices do not close but some employees will be using a floating holiday to take the day off.[1] Thirteen other states list it as an official holiday, including Arkansas, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, Alaska, and California where Governor Schwarzenegger proclaimed June 19th "Juneteenth" on June 19, 2005. [2] [3]

However, some of these states, such as Connecticut, do not consider it a legal holiday and do not close government offices in observance of the occasion.[4] Its informal observance has spread to some other states including Alabama, with a few celebrations even taking place in other countries.[5] [3]