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.
She chaired the Congressional Black Caucus and helped secure Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 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
Juneteenth — a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States — is being marked on Friday, and there are many closures related to the holiday, including financial markets.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026
The U.S. stock and bond markets are closed on Friday for Juneteenth.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Even though they were planning to attend the Juneteenth Festival there the following day, Candice figured they’d have better luck looking around when it was quieter.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
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