June 19, 2015, is the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth [View all]

[merrily]

You can help make that even more meaningful

http://www.juneteenth.com/150th%20anniversary_campaign.htm

Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States that commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas in June 1865, and more generally the emancipation of African-American slaves throughout the Confederate South. Celebrated on June 19, the term is a contraction of June and nineteenth,[1][2] and is recognized as a state holiday or special day of observance in most states.

The holiday is observed primarily in local celebrations. Traditions include public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, singing traditional songs such as "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing", and readings by noted African-American writers such as Ralph Ellison and Maya Angelou.[3] Celebrations may include parades, rodeos, street fairs, cookouts, family reunions, park parties, historical reenactments, or Miss Juneteenth contests.[4][self-published source]

https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Juneteenth (I strongly recommend reading the entire article.)

On the positive side, it marked the end of slavery under color of United States law. On the other side, of course, slavery under law should never have existed and Juneteenth was well after Lincoln had signed, as an EXECUTIVE ORDER USING HIS POWER AS CIC, the Emancipation Proclamation (signed September 22, 1862, with an effective date of January 1, 1863)

See also http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/hidden-history-of-juneteenth

There has been a movement to make Juneteenth a national holiday. It is a state holiday in a number of states.