Historical eventJune 172021

Juneteenth

Juneteenth National Independence Day is signed into law by President Joe Biden, to become the first federal holiday established since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

5th anniversary in 2026

Everything on June 17Original source

In context

When
Thursday, June 17 20215 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
21st century · 2020s
Anniversary
5th in 2026
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 2021.

What came beforeAI-assisted

Juneteenth has been celebrated in Black communities since 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The holiday gradually spread across the United States but remained largely unknown outside Black communities for over 150 years.

Several states had already recognized Juneteenth as a paid holiday or observance before federal action. Texas made it an official state holiday in 1980, and by 2021, 47 states and the District of Columbia had some form of recognition.

Catalyst / how it startedAI-assisted

The movement to make Juneteenth a federal holiday gained momentum during the nationwide protests following George Floyd's death in May 2020. Increased awareness and advocacy from civil rights organizations and lawmakers pushed the issue to the forefront of national conversation.

Who was involvedAI-assisted

President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law on June 17, 2021. The bill had bipartisan support in Congress, passing the Senate unanimously and the House with overwhelming approval.

TimelineAI-assisted

June 19, 1865: Enslaved people in Galveston, Texas are informed of their freedom by Union General Gordon Granger. 1980: Texas becomes the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday.

May 2020: George Floyd's death sparks nationwide racial justice protests and renewed focus on Juneteenth. June 17, 2021: President Biden signs Juneteenth National Independence Day into federal law, making it the 11th federal holiday.

What happened

Juneteenth National Independence Day is signed into law by President Joe Biden, to become the first federal holiday established since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.

June 17 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1985Space Shuttle program
  2. 1987Dusky seaside sparrow
  3. 1989Interflug Flight 102
  4. 1991Apartheid
  5. 1992George H. W. Bush
  6. 1994O. J. Simpson
  7. 2009Czech Pirate Party
  8. 2015Charleston church shooting
  9. 2015White supremacy
  10. 2017June 2017 Portugal wildfires
  11. 2021Juneteenth

Also in 2021

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  • September 12Siberian Light Aviation Flight 51Siberian Light Aviation Flight 51 crashes short of the runway at Kazachinskoye Airport, killing four.
  • September 162021 Luxian earthquakeA 6.0 Mw earthquake strikes Lu County, Sichuan, China, killing three and injuring more than 88.
  • September 16Inspiration4Inspiration4, the first private orbital crewed spaceflight, is launched from the Kennedy Space Center.
  • September 5Alpha CondéThe President of Guinea, Alpha Condé is captured by armed forces during a coup d'état.
  • August 142021 Haiti earthquakeA magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck in Haiti, killing at least 2,248 people and causing $1.5 billion in damages and economic loss.
  • November 5Astroworld Festival crowd crushThe Astroworld Festival crowd crush results in 10 deaths and 25 people being hospitalized

Everything we record for 2021 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Juneteenth”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/juneteenth-2021-june-17, accessed October 27, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Juneteenth happen?

June 17 2021 — 5 years ago, on a Thursday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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