Today is Juneteenth, the federal holiday marking June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed more than 250,000 enslaved people they were free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
The day, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the arrival of Major General Gordon Granger and his troops in Galveston Bay. Granger issued General Order No. 3, announcing that “the people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
News of the Civil War’s end and emancipation reached Texas slowly. The state was one of the last areas of the Confederacy to see Union forces enforce the proclamation, signed in 1863. Celebrations among newly freed Black Texans began almost immediately in Galveston and spread across the state, evolving into annual gatherings featuring music, food, family reunions and reflection on progress toward equality.
Dallas City Hall will be closed this coming Friday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth. 🎉 We will reopen on Monday, June 22 at regular hours.
— City of Dallas (@CityOfDallas) June 17, 2026
For a list of City of Dallas Department and Facility Closures, please visit: https://t.co/I8SObGN5LQ pic.twitter.com/UtdSetFifq
In North Texas, communities mark the day with parades, festivals, educational programs and cultural events. Dallas and surrounding cities host activities that honor the holiday’s roots while celebrating Black history, resilience and contributions. Many government offices, including City of Dallas facilities, are closed Friday in observance.
The holiday gained renewed attention in recent decades and became a federal holiday in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a national day of observance. Texas recognized it as a state holiday in 1980.
Juneteenth serves as both a celebration of freedom and a reminder of the long struggle for civil rights that followed emancipation. Events across DFW often include readings of General Order No. 3, vendor markets, live music and family-friendly programming that highlight African American culture and history.
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