On June 15, 2001, the state of Texas officially recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday. Though Juneteenth celebrations date back to 1866, Texas became the first U.S. state to enshrine it as a legal holiday. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and announced the end of slavery, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The 2001 legislation, signed by Governor Rick Perry, mandated that state offices close or provide alternative holiday compensation. This recognition marked a key moment in acknowledging Black freedom struggles and catalyzed broader efforts to make Juneteenth a national holiday. In 2021, Juneteenth was officially recognized at the federal level, cementing its legacy.
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