Juneteenth, an annual US holiday celebrated on June 19, has taken on even greater significance this year following worldwide protests against police brutality and the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and other African Americans. Juneteenth, a blend of the words June and 19th, is also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day in the US. Juneteenth commemorates when the last enslaved African Americans learned they were free 155 years ago. While former US President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the South in 1863, it wasn’t enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War two years later. Confederate soldiers surrendered in April 1865, but word didn’t reach the last enslaved African Americans until June 19, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to Galveston, Texas. In 1980, Texas officially declared the day a holiday. Juneteenth celebrations eventually stretched beyond Texas and it is now recognised in 46 other states and the District of Columbia. Rules regarding holidays and days of observance vary from state to state, according to the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, which is campaigning for Juneteenth to reach federal holiday status. Countries like South Korea, Ghana, Israel, Taiwan, France, and the US territory of Guam also have held Juneteenth celebrations.<br/> Although in part a celebration, the day is also observed solemnly to honour those who suffered during slavery in the US with the arrival of the first enslaved Africans over 400 years ago. Juneteenth coincides this year with global protests against racial injustice sparked by the May 25 death of Mr Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis police custody. It also accompanies the coronavirus outbreak, which has disproportionately affected communities of colour in the US. Last week, US President Donald Trump, who had already been under fire for his response to both crises, drew further criticism for scheduling a Friday re-election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has since moved it to Saturday. Tulsa is an important and especially sensitive site where a white mob massacred African American residents in 1921. Community organisations nationwide will devote the day to discussions on policing and civil rights ahead of the November election. Religious communities in the US usually mark Juneteenth with worship services, parades and picnics. The 155th anniversary will be marked across the country with festive meals and gatherings, but many cities have cancelled annual parades because of the pandemic. This year, necessitated social-distancing and unrest ignited by Floyd’s death after nearly nine minutes beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer is changing where and how the day will be observed. Mosques, synagogues, churches and other places of worship around the country are planning everything from internet classes to marches and rallies, many reflecting on the state of race 155 years later. Amid the wave of racial justice protests, New York’s governor on Wednesday signed an executive order to recognise Juneteenth as an official holiday for state employees. Philadelphia also made Juneteenth a holiday, while Portland, Oregon, and Chicago are considering similar action. Some US businesses have committed to a change of policies, including recognition of the holiday. Among the companies that have announced they will recognise Juneteenth as a paid company holiday are the National Football League, the New York Times, Twitter and Square.
