Juneteenth — also known as Freedom Day — has been a tradition in the United States for more than 150 years. The holiday finds its roots in Texas, where enslaved African-Americans in the city of Galveston were finally informed of their freedom on June 19, 1865, about two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. Participation in Juneteenth celebrations grew throughout the years as descendants continued traditions in Texas and, as African-Americans in the South migrated across the country, Juneteenth celebrations began appearing in different cities.

There has been a surge of attention on the holiday in recent weeks, as the protest movement against police brutality and structural racism toward black Americans gains momentum. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York signed an executive order on Wednesday making Juneteenth a holiday for state employees, and companies from Twitter to Target to Nike are observing the day as a holiday or as a day of service. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia officially commemorate or observe Juneteenth; Texas, which made it a state holiday in 1980, was first to do so.