Juneteenth is a hybrid of the words June and nineteenth. June 19th marks the emancipation from slavery in the U.S, dating back to 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger announced the end of the Civil War and the emancipation from slavery. This was two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
General Orders, No. 3. U.S. House, 54th Congress, 1st Session (H. Doc. 369, Part 2). “General Order Number 3,” 1896. U.S. Documents Collection. Y 1.1/2: SERIAL 3437
