What is Juneteenth?

Have you ever had to wait for something that was rightfully yours? Imagine waiting for over 900 days for your own freedom! In this exciting episode of History's Not Boring, Mira and Finn uncover the amazing true story behind Juneteenth, the longest-running African American holiday in history! Travel back to the American Civil War and learn how President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation made slavery illegal. But there was a massive catch! Enslavers in Texas completely ignored the law for two and a half years, keeping 250,000 people enslaved even after the biggest war in American history had ended.

Find out what happened on the morning of June 19, 1865, when Union Major General Gordon Granger and 2,000 troops—including heroic Black soldiers!—marched into Galveston, Texas, to finally enforce the law. You'll learn how newly freed people celebrated their incredible victory, how they saved up to buy their very own Emancipation Park, and why everyone eats yummy red foods like strawberry soda and red velvet cake on this special day. Get ready to celebrate resilience and freedom!