Americans will soon celebrate Juneteenth, marking the day when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free.

For generations, Black Americans have recognized the end of one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history with joy, in the form of parades, street festivals, musical performances or cookouts.

The U.S. government was slow to embrace the occasion — it was only in 2021 that President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress to set aside Juneteenth, or June 19th, as a federal holiday.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/juneteenth-meaning-history-federal-holiday-2023/507-e4e598e2-35bc-4dc2-bd92-97652f1ff00c

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