Recognizing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day, and expressing the sense of Congress…

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Recognizes the historical significance to the Nation, and supports the continued celebration, of Juneteenth Independence Day (June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved African Americans were free).

Declares the sense of Congress that: (1) history should be regarded as a means for understanding the past and solving the challenges of the future; and (2) the celebration of the end of slavery is an important and enriching part of the history and heritage of the United States.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov