Juneteenth
Americannoun
Usage
What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth is a U. S. holiday that commemorates the anniversary of the day (June 19, 1865) on which enslaved African Americans in Texas became some of the last enslaved people in the U. S. to be informed that slavery had been abolished. Juneteenth is also often observed as a time to commemorate the end of chattel slavery in the U. S. Observance of Juneteenth often involves celebratory events and gatherings, especially among African Americans. Observance of the day also often involves events and programs focused on education about and discussion of the legacy of slavery in the U. S., including the ongoing struggle to dismantle systemic racism in U. S. society. Juneteenth was adopted as a U. S. federal holiday in 2021, officially called Juneteenth National Independence Day. It is sometimes also called Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Black Independence Day. Visit our article to learn more about how Juneteenth is observed and celebrated.
Etymology
Origin of Juneteenth
First recorded in 1935–40; June + (nine)teenth
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The fall deepens a selloff prompted by the departure of AI architects last week, with shares set to open 7.4% lower than their close Thursday before the Juneteenth holiday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
—In the U.S., futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were both down 0.1% ahead of Monday’s return to trading following the Juneteenth holiday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
Nymex crude didn’t trade Friday because of Juneteenth, a federal holiday.
From Barron's ● Jun. 20, 2026
Glenn Harris, the president of racial justice organization Race Forward, told Salon that he views this year’s Juneteenth through a complicated lens.
From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026
“We were about to head to the Juneteenth Festival. Perhaps we’ll see you there.”
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
