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Though many people associate the end of slavery with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, Confederate states did not observe the federal order until Union troops arrived to enforce it. Galveston, Texas, was the last to do so.

On June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. The day was later known as Juneteenth, short for June Nineteenth.

“Juneteenth marks our country’s second independence day. Although it has long been celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans,” the National Museum of African American Culture and History said.

On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday. Many government offices will be closed on June 19, 2025. Nevada recognized it as a state holiday in 2023, when Gov. Joe Lombardo signed Assembly Bill 140 during that year’s legislative session.

Though Juneteenth wasn’t recognized federally or statewide until recent years, Jessica Vann, president of the Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society and Reno local, told the RGJ Juneteenth has been celebrated by Reno’s Black community for the last 37 years.

Here’s a look at the holiday and commonly asked questions about Juneteenth.

Does Nevada recognize Juneteenth as a holiday?

Yes. Nevada has officially recognized Juneteenth since 2023.

How do people celebrate Juneteenth?

Juneteenth celebrations include community gatherings, festivals, parades and family get-togethers.

Vann said early Juneteenth celebrations in Reno were held at “either Dick Taylor Park or Pat Baker Park. Back in the day our neighborhoods were pretty centralized, and we were kind of relegated to northeast Reno. And of course, since then, we’ve all kind of spread out.”

She said the Reno Juneteenth celebration can help bring people together and welcome people who have moved to Northern Nevada recently.

“We are a very small community, still. The African American community here [in Reno] is we’re less than 5%,” Vann said. “There are some newcomers that have never been. There are people that have been here for years. This is an opportunity for all of those people to come together in one place and discover each other, because, again, we don’t have that centralized community like we used to. You know, we’re all spread out, but this is giving us one communal place.”

What is happening in Reno for Juneteenth?

This year, the Juneteenth celebration in Reno will take place at the J Resort Glow Plaza, located at 670 W. Fourth St., on June 19 from noon to 3 p.m.

The event will include the first-ever Miss Juneteenth competition, sponsored by Shades of Queening. The winner will participate in activities throughout the year. Organizers are also bringing back the Highsteppers and will honor the life and legacy of Frankie Beverly with a tribute concert.

People interested in becoming a vendor can sign up at form.typeform.com/to/PYdPjeTp.