PHOENIX — June 19, or Juneteenth, is the federal holiday which commemorates the day back in 1865 were federal troops made their way to Galveston, Texas, to tell the last group of slaves that they were finally free.
It was a moment more than two years in the making; in January 1863, then President Abraham Lincoln had signed the historic Emancipation Proclamation. According to the National Archives, the historic document said, "all persons held as slaves...are and henceforward shall be free."
Historians say even though the Proclamation was limited in scope, it's credited with helping Americans understand the mission behind the Civil War to not only keep the Union together, but also to make sure the practice of slavery came to an end. To read more about Juneteenth and its origins, click here.
Over the weekend, The George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center in Phoenix held its annual Juneteenth Celebration.
In 2024, ABC15's Nick Ciletti took us inside the historic building, which was the first high school for students of color in Arizona, opening in 1926.
The event featured live music, vendors, and a number of different community-based resources.
The Center's executive director, Dr. Matthew C. Whitaker, says it's a reminder of why everyone should pause today and remember Juneteenth.
"Everybody, every group, has experienced some level of freedom and unfreedom," explains Dr. Whitaker. "What Juneteenth can do is teach us that everybody is tethered to African American history and that African American history is tethered to U.S. history. Whether you are African American or not, everybody can relate to the systematic oppression or the denial of freedom."
Juneteenth was made a federal holiday back in 2021 after legislation passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate and almost unanimously in the U.S. House. It was later signed into law by former President Joe Biden.
The George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center is open to the public Monday to Friday.
To learn more, support the Center, or make a donation, click here.
