06/18/2026
The Circulation Desk at Baldwin Library at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will be closed on Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of Juneteenth. The desk will reopen on Monday, June 22, 2026.
Why Is Juneteenth a Federal Holiday?
Juneteenth, short for "June Nineteenth," commemorates the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, to enforce the emancipation of enslaved people and ensure that freedom was recognized throughout Texas.
This occurred more than two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared enslaved people in Confederate states to be free.
Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, preserved the Union, and took actions that helped pave the way for the abolition of slavery in the United States.
Today, Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States and celebrates freedom, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality. It is recognized as the nation's longest-running African American holiday.
We wish everyone a meaningful and reflective Juneteenth.