Juneteenth National Independence Day became a federal holiday in the United States in 2021. It is celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery. Even though slavery was abolished by President Abraham Lincoln effective January 1, 1863, it wasn't until over two years later on June 19, 1865 that the Emancipation Proclamation reached all corners of the South. Today, Juneteenth celebrations take place around the world.