Juneteenth celebrations across the US commemorate the end of slavery

Former President Joe Biden speaks during a Juneteenth event at the Reedy Chapel AME Church on June 19, 2025, in Galveston, Texas. (AP Photo)
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  • In each of his first four years as president, Trump honored Juneteenth, a day important to Black Americans for marking the end of slavery in the country
  • But on this year鈥檚 Juneteenth holiday on Thursday, the usually talkative president kept silent. No words about it from his lips, on paper or through his social media site

PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire: Juneteenth celebrations unfolded across the US on Thursday, marking the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas and attracting participants who said current events strengthened their resolve to be heard.

President Donald Trump honored Juneteenth in each of his first four years as president, even before it became a federal holiday. He even claimed once to have made it 鈥渧ery famous.鈥�
But on this year鈥檚 Juneteenth holiday on Thursday, the usually talkative president kept silent about a day important to Black Americans for marking the end of slavery in the country he leads again.
No words about it from his lips, on paper or through his social media site.
The holiday has been celebrated by Black Americans for generations, but became more widely observed after being designated a federal holiday in 2021 by former President Joe Biden, who attended a Juneteenth event at a church in Galveston, Texas, the holiday鈥檚 birthplace.
The celebrations come as Trump鈥檚 administration has worked to ban diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, or DEI, in the federal government and remove content about Black American history from federal websites. Trump鈥檚 travel ban on visitors from select countries has also led to bitter national debate.

In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Robert Reid waved a large Juneteenth flag at the city鈥檚 African Burying Ground Memorial Park, where African drummers and dancers led the crowd in song and dance. Reid, 60, said he attended in part to stand against what he called Trump鈥檚 鈥渄ivide and conquer鈥� approach.
鈥淚t鈥檚 time for people to get pulled together instead of separated,鈥� he said.
Jordyn Sorapuru, 18, visiting New Hampshire from California, called the large turnout a 鈥渂eautiful thing.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to be celebrated every once in a while, especially in the political climate right now,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith the offensive things going on right now, with brown people in the country and a lot of people being put at risk for just existing, having celebrations like this is really important.鈥�
Juneteenth鈥檚 origins and this year鈥檚 celebrations
The holiday to mark the end of slavery in the US goes back to an order issued on June 19, 1865, as Union troops arrived in Galveston at the end of the Civil War. General Order No. 3 declared that all enslaved people in the state were free and had 鈥渁bsolute equality.鈥�
Juneteenth is recognized at least as an observance in every state, and nearly 30 states and Washington, D.C., have designated it as a permanent paid or legal holiday through legislation or executive action.
In Virginia, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held for rebuilding the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, one of the nation鈥檚 oldest Black churches.
In Fort Worth, Texas, about 2,500 people participated in Opal Lee鈥檚 annual Juneteenth walk. The 98-year-old Lee, known as the 鈥済randmother of Juneteenth鈥� for the years she spent advocating to make the day a federal holiday, was recently hospitalized and didn鈥檛 participate in public this year. But her granddaughter, Dione Sims, said Lee was 鈥渋n good spirits.鈥�
鈥淭he one thing that she would tell the community and the nation at large is to hold on to your freedoms,鈥� Sims said. 鈥淗old on to your freedom and don鈥檛 let it go, because it鈥檚 under attack right now.鈥�
Events were planned throughout the day in Galveston, including a parade, a celebration at a park with music and the service at Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church that Biden attended.




Galveston Mayor Craig Brown presents former President Joe Biden with a commemorative plaque during a Juneteenth event at the Reedy Chapel AME Church on June 19, 2025, in Galveston, Texas. (AP Photo)

During a Juneteenth speech in Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore announced pardons for 6,938 cases of simple marijuana possession, which can hinder employment and educational opportunities and have disproportionally affected the Black community.
Moore, a Democrat who is Maryland鈥檚 first Black governor and the only Black governor currently serving, last year ordered tens of thousands of pardons for marijuana possession. The newly announced pardons weren鈥檛 included in that initial announcement because they鈥檇 been incorrectly coded.
In New Hampshire, Thursday鈥檚 gathering capped nearly two weeks of events organized by the Black History Trail of New Hampshire aimed at both celebrating Juneteenth and highlighting contradictions in the familiar narratives about the nation鈥檚 founding fathers ahead of next year鈥檚 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
鈥淚n a time when efforts to suppress Black history are on the rise, and by extension, to suppress American history, we stand firm in the truth,鈥� said JerriAnne Boggis, the Heritage Trail鈥檚 executive director. 鈥淭his is not just Black history, it is all of our history.鈥�
What Trump has said about Juneteenth
During his first administration, Trump issued statements each June 19, including one that ended with 鈥淥n Juneteenth 2017, we honor the countless contributions made by African Americans to our Nation and pledge to support America鈥檚 promise as the land of the free.鈥�
When White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked during her Thursday media briefing whether the president would commemorate the holiday this year, she replied, 鈥淚鈥檓 not tracking his signature on a proclamation today.鈥�




White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a press briefing at the White House in Washington on June 19, 2025. (REUTERS)

Later Thursday Trump complained on his social media site about 鈥渢oo many non-working holidays鈥� and said it is 鈥渃osting our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed.鈥� Most retailers are open on Juneteenth, while federal workers generally get a day off because the government is closed.
New Hampshire, one of the nation鈥檚 whitest states, is not among those with a permanent, paid or legal Juneteenth holiday, and Boggis said her hope that lawmakers would take action making it one is waning.
鈥淚 am not so sure anymore given the political environment we鈥檙e in,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檝e taken a whole bunch of steps backwards in understanding our history, civil rights and inclusion.鈥�
Still, she hopes New Hampshire鈥檚 events and those elsewhere will make a difference.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a divisive tool to know the truth. Knowing the truth helps us understand some of the current issues that we鈥檙e going through,鈥� she said.
And if spreading that truth comes with a bit of fun, all the better, she said.
鈥淲hen we come together, when we break bread together, we enjoy music together, we learn together, we dance together, we鈥檙e creating these bonds of community,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s much was we educate, we also want to celebrate together.鈥�