On Friday many people will observe Juneteenth which is a celebration of the independence of people who were enslaved.
Following Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, many slaves learned about their new freedom when Union armies overwhelmed Confederate forces in their particular state.
Two months after the end of the Civil War in June of 1865, the last enslaved people in the United States in the state of Texas were officially released from bondage.
Many western Pennsylvania events will be held in observance of this occasion including a Freedom Day Walk of Black Historic sites in Pittsburgh that can be viewed at 1 p.m. on the Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration Facebook page.
All PennDOT Driver License and Photo Centers are closed today in observance of Juneteenth National Freedom Day. Many services remain available online through PennDOT’s website.
