Juneteenth is a holiday that originated on June 19, 1865, and has a history related to the spread of news about the Emancipation Proclamation in the South. The holiday is believed to have started in Texas, where it took more than two years for emancipation to be implemented after the proclamation. Juneteenth is now recognized as a federal holiday, with celebrations and significance that have grown over time to be considered by some as a second independence day in the United States.