All About Juneteenth
Download and print the PROGRAM BOOKLET with the Directory of Black-owned businesses and the schedule of events on page 12.
History of Juneteenth
Juneteenth is the oldest commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Union General Gordon Granger announced the end of the war and read General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, which declared that the enslaved were free.
The presence of few Union troops in Texas, one of the states that rebelled against the Union, made it difficult to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. General Lee’s surrender in April 1965, along with General Granger’s regiment, provided the necessary influence needed to impose the mandate.
Hosanna's Juneteenth Celebrations
The 2021 Celebration is Hosanna’s fifth year hosting a Juneteenth Celebration Festival. Last year, we hosted a hybrid program that included a virtual program and a mask giveaway and sale. Masks were handcrafted by passionate Hosanna volunteers to protect against the spread of COVID-19. In our third year, the attendance nearly doubled from the previous year to more than 2,200 visitors.
Efforts to Recognize Juneteenth
as a National Holiday
Juneteenth is recognized as a State holiday in 47 of the 50 US states. Maryland legislatures testified in March 2021 to advocate for the passage of HB 0448, which would make Juneteenth a paid State holiday. All State employees would receive the day off, with pay. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth a National Federal Holiday.
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Celebrate with Us!
Each year, Hosanna School Museum is planning to offer a special selection of commemorative items that celebrate Juneteenth and feature our unique Hosanna design.
This year's theme is "Celebrating the Black Family: Representation, Identity, Diversity." We adopt the annual theme of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the organization that founded Black History Month.
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We wanted to introduce the official Juneteenth Flag. Learn more about the symbolism in the Juneteenth flag. In our design, the Black family is celebrating as they look towards a brighter horizon of more equity and inclusion that radiates across the globe.
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T-shirts, mugs, tote bags, towels, and more--you can choose and they are delivered directly to your door. Or you can have them sent anywhere as a gift.
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