Short for “June Nineteenth,” the holiday marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed, on June 19, 1865, History.com says. The troops arrived with the news a full two-and-a-half years after the signing of the proclamation.

Juneteenth takes place every year on June 19, so here is what you need to know. Juneteenth is the commemoration of June 19, 1865, the day enslaved African Americans in Texas learned they were free. The day is also known by other names,

Stacker examined historical documentation to explore Juneteenth's history and significance and to confute the most egregious misinformation about it.