The Powerful Meaning Behind the Juneteenth Flag

Juneteenth, short for "June 19th," was made a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, and was celebrated nationally for the first time on Sunday, June 19, 2022 (with a public holiday of Monday, June 20, 2022).

Unlike other federal holidays, which fly only the American flag, the Juneteenth flag is one that was created for this special day. Here's everything to know about this special piece of history.

Juneteenth History

Juneteenth is known by many names, among them Juneteenth National Independence Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Black Independence Day and Juneteenth Independence Day. No matter its name, this day commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom for slaves in the Confederate states. However, slavery didn't end everywhere in the U.S. overnight. The order was difficult to enforce in Texas — some historians believe this was due to a lack of Union troops and poor communication. However, others believe Texas slaveowners withheld this information on purpose.