This Sunday, June 19^th will be 157 years since the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in the United States from the horrendous institute of slavery.

With many slave owners withholding the news of the Emancipation Proclamation – signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863; hundreds of thousands of African American remained captives until Confederate soldiers surrendered more than two years later in April of 1865 and the 13^th Amendment was passed, abolishing slavery on December 18^th of the same year.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, has been celebrated since the year of emancipation, but was not considered an official holiday until 2021 when President Joe Biden signed a bill establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

“By making Juneteenth a federal holiday, all Americans can feel the power of this day and learn from our history and celebrate progress and grapple with the distance we’ve come,” – President Joe Biden

In honor of this special day, Central Florida offers an array of actives to help you celebrate. Check out the links below for a few ideas:

Orlando Sentinel Juneteenth Events

Visit Orlando Juneteenth Events

Orlando Inaugural Juneteenth Celebration

Happy Juneteenth