Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Here's some of its history, and how it came to be a national holiday. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law on Jan. 1, 1863, freeing all slaves in the Confederate states — on paper, at least.

Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 when then-President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation into law, officially designating it as a federal holiday. However, it has been celebrated by the African American community for over 150 years and has been a recognized holiday in Texas for decades.

Syracuse's own Juneteenth celebrations date back decades, with local Black communities calling it "our Fourth of July."