How to Celebrate Juneteenth in Las Vegas

The National Museum of African American History and Culture refers to Juneteenth as our country’s second independence day. Short for “June Nineteenth,” the holiday is also known as “Freedom Day” and “Emancipation Day.”

What is Juneteenth?

On Jan. 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves who were in states that rebelled against the Union were now free. In the lead-up to the end of the Civil War in April 1865, Union soldiers traveled throughout Confederate states to read the proclamation to slaves.

On June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure that all slaves were freed. But the news had yet to reach the slaves in Texas, who were the last to hear about their freedom. The following year, June 19 became a day of remembrance and “Jubilee Day” for the more than 250,000 newly freed slaves. Juneteenth has since been widely celebrated in the African American community and is especially significant in Galveston.

Road to Federal Recognition

Texas became the first state to designate Juneteenth as a holiday in 1980. The summer of 2020’s nationwide protests against police brutality and demanding racial justice brought an increased awareness of Juneteenth and its significance. Houston artist Reginald Adams and his team created a Juneteenth mural in 2021, expanding the project to additional cities.

On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden officially signed Juneteenth into law as the 11th federally recognized U.S. holiday.

How to Celebrate Juneteenth in Las Vegas

Saturday, June 14

Sunday, June 15

Tuesday, June 17

Wednesday, June 18

Thursday, June 19

Thursday, June 20

Saturday, June 21

Sunday, June 22

The Las Vegas Juneteenth Festival was featured as one of the top events in June by City Cast Las Vegas [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]