Enshrined as a Pennsylvania state holiday since 2019 and a federal one two years later, Juneteenth is a commemoration of June 19, 1865, the date when the Emancipation Agreement was enforced in Texas — more than two years after it was signed — granting freedom to the state’s remaining slaves.

Juneteenth is almost here, and Philadelphia is preparing to commemorate the holiday with parades, performances, educational events, and community festivals. Juneteenth marks the day on June 19, 1865,