June 19th is Juneteenth, commemorating the day federal soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of slavery in 1865. Although slavery had ended 2 years prior with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves still weren't freed in just one day.

The end of slavery was a rough, lengthy process. Many newly freed slaves stayed with their former owners because they owned no land and had nowhere else to go (although they would now receive payment for their work).  

In 2021, Juneteenth became a national holiday. Today, we celebrate Juneteenth with picnics and gatherings. Juneteenth is a day for self-reflection and looks positively towards the future. Although we still have a long day to go, no one can deny that we've come a long way towards equality for everyone.

If you want information about Juneteenth celebrations in Idaho, you can visit Juneteenth.idaho on Facebook for information.

Sources:

https://www.stpetersburg.usf.edu/news/2023/juneteenth-complicated-history-significance-celebration-around-struggle-for-freedom.aspx

https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth

https://www.juneteenth.com/

https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth

https://juneteenthidaho.org/