We The People: This Day in History, June 7
Texas First to Make Juneteenth an Official State Holiday
Published: Jun. 7, 2026 at 8:03 AM CDT|Updated: 6 hours ago
AUSTIN, Texas (KWTX) - On June 7, 1979, Texas became the first state in the nation to make Juneteenth an official state holiday when the Texas Legislature passed a bill declaring the June 19 observance a statewide holiday.
Juneteenth commemorates not the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation itself, but the day its news effectively reached Texas.
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