On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and issued General Order No. 3, officially informing enslaved people in Texas that they were free. This historic day became known as Juneteenth, combining the words “June” and “nineteenth.”

For generations, Black Texans in communities like Acres Homes commemorated Juneteenth through church gatherings, family reunions, music, food, parades, prayer services, and community celebrations. In Acres Homes specifically, those traditions evolved over time— from an annual picnic and little league baseball game in the 1960s and 70s, to a parade that gained new prominence in 2008 when former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner helped amplify it. What began as a Texas tradition eventually grew into a national observance of freedom, resilience, and African American culture.

In 1979, State Representative Al Edwards filed legislation to formally recognize Juneteenth as a holiday throughout the State of Texas, becoming the first state to officially recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday officially. In 2021, through legislation by Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee and advocacy by Opal Lee, Juneteenth was signed into law by President Joe Biden as a federal holiday in the United States.

Today, communities across Texas, including Acres Homes in Houston, continue the legacy of Juneteenth by honoring the past, celebrating progress, and uplifting future generations through culture, education, and unity.