Get ready for Juneteenth 2026 happening on June 19th! See below for facts that you may not know! It's all brought to you by: The African American Art and Culture Complex
African American Art & Culture Complex
Facts about Juneteenth:
- Juneteenth is seen as the symbolic end to slavery in the US and is the celebration of the beginning of the transition to freedom!
- Juneteenth was the first African American holiday celebrated, even before the celebrations honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- San Francisco museums, like The Museum of The African Diaspora now hold major Juneteenth programs hosting a variety of celebrations and exhibits.
- The first official Juneteenth celebrations were held on June 19, 1866 and became a state holiday in Texas in 1979.
- President Joe Biden signed a bill passes by Congress in 2021 to set aside Juneteenth as a federal holiday
- San Francisco recognized and celebrated Juneteenth with community festivals and parades long before it became a federal holiday in 2021.
- Oakland hosts one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in Northern California, drawing larges crowds around Lake Merritt and other venues.
