06/19/2026
Today we celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
While Juneteenth has its roots in Texas, celebrations of emancipation have a long history here in the proud, free state of Iowa. Black communities across the state observed Emancipation Day for decades, even before the Civil War. Iowans gathered for parades, speeches, music, picnics, athletic competitions and community celebrations.
The newspaper clipping shown here comes from the Iowa Bystander in 1901 and describes an Emancipation Day celebration in nearby Buxton, Iowa. Hundreds of people attended the event, which included a parade, brass band, speeches, baseball games and a community banquet.
As we observe Juneteenth, we remember the long struggle for freedom, honor the generations who fought for equality and recognize the contributions Black Americans have made to in our community.
The Main Street office will be closed today for the holiday.