Those of you who aren’t Texians may be unfamiliar with this holiday, celebrated tomorrow on June 19th, but I’ve heard about it all my life.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

Juneteenth is an official state holiday in Texas and it will be celebrated tomorrow, mostly by those of African American descent, with picnics, prayer services, carnivals, parades, and other festivities. Oh, yes, a typical Juneteenth celebration usually involves barbecue, watermelon, and red soda pop. Happy Juneteenth!