Juneteenth
On June 19, 1865, U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, which informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free. This day has come to be known as Juneteenth, a combination of June and 19th. It is is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a national holiday.
Emancipation Proclamation to be on Permanent Display
On June 17, 2023, Archivist Colleen Shogan announced that he National Archives plans to place the Emancipation Proclamation on permanent display in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. Read the press release.
View the Featured Document Display.
General Order No. 3, issued June 19, 1865. (RG 393, Part II, Entry 5543, District of Texas, General Orders Issued)
Articles
NA News: "National Archives Safeguards Original ‘Juneteenth’ General Order."
NA News: "Noted Historian Discusses Juneteenth’s Place in American History"
Rediscovering Black History Blog: “Juneteenth: The Celebration of a New Freedom in America”
Video Presentations
Juneteenth: A Celebration (2022)
Annette Gordon-Reed discusses her book On Juneteenth (2021)