On June 19, we join the nation in recognizing and honoring Juneteenth. A blend of the words June and nineteenth, Juneteenth is the oldest African American holiday observance in the nation.

The date marks the day when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to ensure the freedom of all enslaved people in the state. The arrival came more than 2 1/2 years after President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.

Texas was the last Southern state to be formally notified of the president’s action that established all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, henceforward, and forever free.”

The 13th Amendment abolishing slavery was ratified on Dec. 6, 1865. The following year, the first celebration of “Jubilee Day” on June 19 was organized in Texas. In 1980, Texas became the first state to celebrate Juneteenth as a state holiday.

Many metro area and Johnson County cities and other organizations provide different ways for the community to honor the holiday. These include Johnson County Government, Johnson County Library, the Johnson County Museum and many community partners.

Johnson County is making plans for a Juneteenth event on Monday, June 19, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Lenexa City Center with speakers, music and food available for purchase.

The best way to stay informed on all of the different options you have to honor Juneteenth is by visiting jocogov.org/Juneteenth. More information will be made available there, as well as be shared with local media and on social media, as we approach the holiday.

For a second year, Johnson County offices will be closed on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.