Video above: Juneteenth celebrations across the U.S. in 2020Juneteenth has made headlines in the past year especially, but many still don't know what it is. Here's where to begin:What is Juneteenth?Also called Emancipation Day, Freedom Day or Jubilee Day, Juneteenth is the commemoration of June 19, 1865, the day enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned that they were free. While President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, it only applied to people in Confederate states, not those enslaved in Union-held territories (they were not freed until the proclamation of the 13th Amendment). In Texas, a Confederate state where there was no large Union Army presence, slavery continued years after the Emancipation Proclamation — and even after the 13th Amendment was passed by Congress on Jan. 31, 1865 — as many enslaved people in the state were not aware of the news. Finally in June of 1865, Maj. General Gordon Granger and Union troops landed in Galveston, Texas, to tell the enslaved African Americans living there that the Civil War had ended and that they were now free. In 1866, formerly enslaved Black Texans began celebrating the event with annual "Jubilee Day" festivities. This commemoration is now known as Juneteenth (June + nineteenth).Juneteenth has its own flag.The original Juneteenth flag was created in 1997 by the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF) founder, Ben Haith. While the Juneteenth flag has the same colors as the American flag, it is a unique symbol of American freedom and Black history.The original red, white and blue design later underwent revisions in the 2000s, and the date June 19, 1865 was added to the flag. According to the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, the Juneteenth flag includes an exaggerated star of Texas “bursting with new freedom throughout the land.”Is Juneteenth a national holiday?Juneteenth has been celebrated since the late 1800s, but became legally recognized as a national holiday this week. It was in 1980 that Democratic state representative Al Edwards and the Texas Legislature made Juneteenth an official state holiday.Before its designation as a national holiday, a growing list of American companies, including Target, Best Buy, Nike, Quicken, TikTok, Twitter and Spotify, declared Juneteenth (or Juneteenth observed) as a paid day off.How is Juneteenth celebrated? Early celebrations involved helping newly-freed men with voting instructions. Today, traditions include rodeos, public readings, voter registration efforts, parades, community gatherings, street fairs, fishing and more.But Juneteenth celebrations also wouldn’t be complete without food, a tradition that dates back to 1872, when Black leaders in Texas raised money to purchase a plot of land to hold Juneteenth celebrations. Juneteenth is typically celebrated with meals of red food and drink, such as hibiscus tea, watermelon, strawberry shortcake, red beans and rice, red velvet cake and strawberry soda, to symbolize strength and courage. These specialties often appear alongside staples like collard greens, barbecue and tea cakes. “For African Americans especially, Juneteenth is a day of education, reflection, cultural appreciation and hope for true liberation,” said St. Louis-based culinary researcher Robin Caldwell.Juneteenth is much more than a celebration. Given the widespread protests and far-reaching changes that have happened in the past year, Juneteenth celebrations are sure to resonate in new ways in 2021. “Celebration is not without understanding how we got here,” Caldwell said.Ways to Commemorate Juneteenth This YearWhether you plan to continue social distancing by staying at home or venturing out into the world, here are a few more family-friendly ideas for celebrating. Juneteenth falls on a Saturday this year. If possible, take the day to gather with loved ones and your community.Watch Miss Juneteenth, a film about the storied Texas pageant. Or read Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper with your kids.Dine in or order takeout from a restaurant, or shop Black-owned brands.Many museums, such as the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston, offer special programming.