On June 19th, 1865 Union soldiers announced to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas that they were indeed free and had been for approximately two years already. This event occurred eighty nine years after the first celebration of Independence Day in the United States of America. African Americans who were held in bondage did not partake in the glorious celebration of Independence Day, recognizing their freedom and liberties because they did not have any. Let’s rally together now, in 2020 to make Juneteenth a recognized federal holiday. On this day we can all come together and celebrate the lives, sacrifices and back breaking labor our ancestors were forced to endure in order to make this county great!