The doodle, illustrated by Oakland-based guest artist Christian Robinson, celebrates Juneteenth, a federal holiday that celebrates the liberation of black slaves in the United States. On this day in 1865, news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached Galveston Bay, Texas. The presidential proclamation formally abolished slavery in the Confederacy.
The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in 1863, but several Confederate-led states, including Texas, continued to resist the Emancipation Proclamation for many years. The tide turned in 1865 when Union troops marched into Galveston, Texas, declaring freedom for enslaving Black Texans.
Across the country, Americans celebrate Juneteenth with marches, community events, rallies and more. The goal is to honor those who fought for freedom and a more just country in the past and those who continue to fight today. Texas made Juneteenth an official state holiday in 1990, and in 2021 it became a federal holiday.
Happy Juneteenth!
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