Well if you're African American and think it's on the 4th of July, not so fast. Unfortunately, this was two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
Myths abound about why it took so long for word to reach the Western settlements.
But whatever finally got word they were free, it was obviously a day of celebration, one that went on to be recognized as Juneteenth Day. But as the years passed and blacks began migrating to other areas of the country, many former slaves and their immediate descendants stopped celebrating. As a consequence, the national significance behind Juneteenth Day has gradually faded from view, says Lula Briggs Galloway, president and founder of the National Association of Juneteenth Lineage, a recently established organization that provides information relating to African American history. While no longer widespread, the spirit of the day has survived in some sectors across the country. An estimated 130 cities and towns across the U.S. and Canada now hold annual celebrations to commemorate the day considered by some as African Americans' true independence day.