When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Read our full commerce guidelines here.

Juneteenth 2022: The best ways to celebrate Freedom Day

What is Juneteenth? Take a peek at our guide on how to commemorate the June 19 national holiday

Updated on 17 Feb 2022

Brandi Fowler

Fashion and Lifestyle Writer

There was a new momentum surrounding the celebration of Juneteeth last year.

SHOP: 15 black-owned fashion and beauty essentials you need on your radar

Following George Floyd’s murder and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, more people recognized the holiday, celebrated it, and commemorated the day in new ways, with some corporate companies even getting into the mix and recognizing it as a paid holiday for employees.

What is Juneteenth?

© Photo: Getty Images

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States

In case you missed it, Juneteeth, also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, or Jubilee Day, is a special celebration on June 19th that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is a symbolic day of liberation that celebrates freedom for all people living in the country.

Although President Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 as the official end of slavery, it didn’t stop there. African descendants were still enslaved years after that, and it wasn’t until the December 1865 ratification of the 13th Amendment on June 19, when slavery was legally ended in all states.

SHOP: 8 great gifts for her from black-owned businesses

At the time, approximately 250,000 people were still being held in slavery in Texas. On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston to announce that the Civil War had ended and all of the slaves had been freed. The day became known as Juneteenth.

But that freedom wasn't all that free. Although slaves were no longer legally allowed to be held in captivity, it was just the beginning of decades of racism and discrimination to come for African Americans in the United States, and the fight for true equality still continues today.

Is Juneteenth a national holiday?

Before 2021, 45 states and Washington DC recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday, but it wasn't recognized nationally. After Congress passed a bill to make Juneteenth a national holiday, President Joe Biden signed that bill into law in 2021 and made it official, which means most federal employees have the day off.

A Juneteenth celebration in NYC

So, how can you celebrate Juneteeth?

Consider it not only a celebration of freedom, but also a tribute to black culture as well. Take a peek at our guide below on a few ideas for ways to celebrate the holiday.

MORE: 12 beauty and fashion gifts from black-owned businesses your mom will swoon over

Support and shop black-owned businesses

© Stella Jean, Jessica Rich, 241 Cosmetics

Support black-owned businesses on Juneteenth: Like Stella Jean, Jessica Rich, and 241 Cosmetics

Consider buying a product from a black-owned business on Juneteeth.

Beyoncé made a major move last Juneteenth that took small black-owned businesses from obscurity to the spotlight when she launched her Black Parade song and a “Black Parade Route” on her website, which features black-owned businesses.

And she wasn’t the only one. Major retailers like Revolve, Sephora, Net-a-Porter, and many others went on to join fashion designer Aurora James’ 15 percent pledge to commit 15 percent of their shelf space to black-owned businesses.

Companies like Homebody CBD, Andrea Iyamah, Unsun Sunscreen, Nubyen, and Topicals were just a few that landed shelf space virtually and in-store on those retailers.