Thousands of people took advantage of the Juneteenth federal holiday to visit national parks such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion and the Grand Canyon, which offered free admission as part of “Fee Free Days” organized by the National Park Service (NPS).
The measure seeks not only to encourage domestic tourism, but also to invite reflection on the history of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last slaves in Texas were freed, more than two years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
In addition to free access to public lands, cities such as Atlanta, Detroit, Houston and Philadelphia organized festivals, conferences, concerts and food fairs to celebrate African-American culture and promote dialogue on racial justice.
Since it was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has established itself as a date of unity, remembrance and celebration. “It is a day to honor the past, but also to build a more just future,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in an official release