- JUNETEENTH LEGACY MOSAIC JUNE 19, 1865 - JUNETEENTH BECOMES A FEDERAL HOLIDAY JUNE 17, 2021 OFFICIALLY CALLED JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY "WHAT HISTORY BOOKS FORGOT WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER!" EMANCIPATION DAY JUNE 19,1865 TEXAS SLAVES RECEIVE WORD THAT THEY ARE FREE GENERAL ORDER #3 READS IN PERTINENT PART: "PROCLAMATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE OF THE UNITED STATES. ALL SLAVES ARE FREE." BLACK INDEPENDENCE DAY THE NAME " JUNETEENTH" IS A BLEND OF THE MONTH OF "JUNE" AND THE DATE " NINETEENTH." GALVESTON, TEXAS BIRTHPLACE OF JUNETEENTH ON JUNE 19, 1865 TEXAS FIRST STATE TO RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH JANUARY 1, 1980 JUNETEENTH FIRST CELEBRATED ON JUNE 19, 1866 JUBILEE DAY IN 1872 LAND BOUGHT IN HOUSTON, TEXAS TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH NAMED EMANCIPATION PARK FAMILIES CELEBRATED! CHURCHES CELEBRATED! FREEDOM DAY