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Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Cel-Liberation Day or the Black Fourth of July, is an American holiday that commemorates June 19, 1865. 

On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation ending the Civil War and granting freedom to all African American slaves. However, many slave states were remote and several slave owners fled to Texas due to its location. These slave owners continued to engage in human bondage and the Emancipation Proclamation was not enforced there until June 19, 1865 more than two years after the Civil War ended. 

JUNETEENTH. Commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, Juneteenth is observed on June 19. The celebration originated in Texas when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston. He announced on June 19, 1865, with General Orders, Number 3 that the Civil War was over and all slaves were now freedmen

Texas declared Juneteenth an official state holiday in 1980.  Forty-six of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have recognized Juneteenth as either a state holiday or ceremonial holiday, or a day of observance. The four states that do not recognize Juneteenth are Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. In 1997, the founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF), Ben Haith, created the Juneteenth flag.

The colors red, white, and blue echo the American flag to symbolize that the enslaved people and their descendants were Americans. The star in the middle pays homage to Texas, while the bursting "new star" on the "horizon" of the red and blue fields represents a new freedom and a new people.

The Juneteenth Flag celebrates the beginning of the emancipation of slavery on June 19th, 1865. The flag represents the history and freedom of African American slaves and their descendants. An important moment in American history to celebrate every summer. Americans have celebrated this holiday for over 150 years.