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World Affairs
Mahesh

21/06/22 14:19 PM IST

Juneteenth

In News 
  • In 2021, US President Joe Biden signed a law to commemorate June 19 or Juneteenth as a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery after the American civil war (1861-65). 
Juneteenth
  • Juneteenth– the portmanteau of June and nineteenth– is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the US, observed on June 19 every year. It is also known as Emancipation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day.
  • On January 1, 1863, then-president Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that “all persons held as slaves” within the states in rebellion “are, and henceforward shall be free.
Significance 
  • The  first Juneteenth celebration started from 1866, with community-centric events such as parades, cookouts, prayer gatherings, historical and cultural readings and musical performances.
  • The day has evolved over the years, with people and communities developing their own traditions and customs. For instance, some communities purchased land for celebrating the day, such as Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas.

Source-Indian Express 

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