HOUSTON – Today is Juneteenth, a national holiday recognizing the day the last enslaved people in Texas learned they were free.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 — when Union troops arrived in Galveston and read the Emancipation Proclamation, marking a pivotal moment in both Houston-area history and American history.
Watch: What Juneteenth means to one Pearland family
(KPRC 2 News anchor Sofia Ojeda interviews Eugene Howard, president and CEO of Visionary Outreach.)
Celebrations across the Houston area
Multiple Juneteenth events are planned across the region, including a community celebration at Independence Park in Pearland.
- When: Saturday, June 20
- Time: 6–9 p.m.
- Where: Independence Park, Pearland
‘Part of our family legacy’
For one Pearland family, Juneteenth is more than a date on the calendar — it’s a legacy passed down through generations.
Ojeda sat down with Eugene Howard, president and CEO of Visionary Outreach, to discuss what the holiday represents and why remembering its history matters today.