In 2021, U.S. Congress passed a law designating June 19 as a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Originating in Galveston, Texas in 1865, the observance of June 19 as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the States and beyond. Maryland counties will celebrate the day with parades, festivals, and a spirit of unity and equity, with events all across Maryland.

Learn more about African American history in Maryland’s counties with these Conduit Street Fun Facts:
The Significance of November 1st
A 200th Birthday Celebration
A Tuskegee Airman Lived in this County
Celebrating Black Women in Maryland History
The First Communities of Free Blacks in the State Are in These Counties
Which Maryland County Was the Home of Harriet Tubman?
Which County is Home to a Community Built by Former Slaves Who Fought in the Civil War?