While Juneteenth celebrates the Emancipation Proclamation, which only freed the slaves in the South, the 13th Amendment is what officially ended slavery in the U.S.
The holiday is looking a little different this year than in years past, in large part resulting from the millions of Americans who took to the streets last summer to protest racial injustice in response to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans. The protest movement sparked an ongoing dialogue around systemic racism and police brutality.
Today, 48 States and Washington, D.C recognize Juneteenth as either a state Holiday or ceremonial holiday. Activists have pushed for wider recognition, including designation as a national holiday and acknowledgment by Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange.