Juneteenth is known as America’s “Second Independence Day,” commemorating June 19, 1865, when thousands of Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, to free the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state by executive decree (two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation).
Juneteenth was designated a federal holiday in the U.S. in 2021.
In 2025, Juneteenth falls on a Thursday.
Related: 21 Inspiring Quotes From Black Leaders From Throughout American History
Here’s what’s open and closed on June 19, from grocery stores to the post office.
Are Mail Services (USPS, UPS, FedEx) Open?
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is closed; no mail will be delivered,