For years, people have lobbied for Juneteenth to become a federal holiday, and today it finally happened. President Joe Biden signed the National Independence Day Act into law.
The day is historic because slavery was outlawed in Texas on June 19, 1865. There have been celebrations for "Jubilee Day" for over 150 years. As of June 19, 2021, it will be observed as a national holiday. Read more about the significance of this special day.