Description During the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation freed all enslaved people in the rebelling Confederacy. Despite this, not all enslaved people could leave their plantations or even knew they were free. Juneteenth marks the day when Union troops marched into Galveston Bay, Texas, and freed over 250,000 enslaved black people in the state. Through this beginner's look at Juneteenth, readers will discover the history of this second Independence Day. With photographs of how different people celebrate the holiday, readers will discover the significance of Juneteenth