Juneteenth finds its roots in the aftermath of the American Civil War. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and proclaimed the end of slavery, two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. This delay in emancipation reaching Texas is attributed to the limited presence of Union troops and the resistance of slaveholders in the region. The news of freedom was met with joy and jubilation by the African American community, and the day became a symbol of hope and progress.