Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States. Legislation establishing the holiday was passed by Congress on June 16, 2021, and signed into law by U.S. Pres. Joe Biden the following day. Opal Lee, known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” was integral to making Juneteenth a national holiday.
Juneteenth had previously been established as a state holiday in Texas in 1980, with a number of other states later declaring it a state holiday or day of observance.