Juneteenth June 13, 2009

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. It was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that all slaves were now free. This was 2 1/2 years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863. The day is celebrated by African Americans throughout the southwest. The park phone number is (661) 849-3433.