MarineParents.com Recognizes Juneteenth National Independence Day

Juneteenth became a Federal holiday on June 17, 2021, when President Joe Biden signed it into law. As a Federal holiday, government offices will be closed on the day the holiday is recognized.

Juneteenth History

Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19th to commemorate the emanicipation of enslaved people in the United States following the conclusion of the Civil War.

Juneteenth is the newest Federal holiday in the United States and was signed into law on June 17, 2021 by President Joe Biden.

The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on June 19th in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, slaves were declared free under the terms of the Emanicipation Proclamation. However, in many parts of the country, the proclamation was not implemented until the Army enforced it.

Juneteenth Flag

The Juneteenth Flag is a symbol for the United States Federal holiday.

Activist Ben Haith created the first version in 1997. Haith displayed that version in June of 1997 at Boston's John Eliot Square District.

The present version was copyrighted by Haith in 2000. The flag contains the same red, white, and blue colors as the American Flag, but also features a bursting star in the middle.

The white star has two meanings. It represents Texas, because Galveston is where the country's last remaining enslaved people were informed they were now free in 1865. The star also represents the freedom of African Americans in all 50 states. The bursting outline around the star represents a new beginning for African Americans. The arc that extends across the flag represents the opportunities and promise that lay ahead for African Americans. The red, white, and blue represents the American Flag, a reminder that slaves and their descendants were and are Americans.