When President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation - freeing more than 3.5 million enslaved people in this country - it was 1863.

When news of this finally reached the people it affected, it was June 19, 1865.

In 1866, Juneteenth, as the day the news was delivered came to be known, was first celebrated on its one-year anniversary.

In 2021, Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday.

Delve into the history of this pivotal moment in American history and explore its legacy through thoughtful examinations, fiction, poetry, children's books and more.