Juneteenth, also known as&nbsp;Juneteenth National Independence Day, is observed on June 19 in the United States to commemorate the end of slavery. Last year, US President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing it as a national holiday.&nbsp;The word Juneteenth originated from the words "June" and "nineteenth."&nbsp;The holiday is also called "Juneteenth Independence Day," "Freedom Day" or "Emancipation Day."

The US state of Texas became the state to identify this day as a state holiday in 1980, which later became a national holiday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modis-historic-visit-will-solidify-india-us-relationship-says-antony-blinken-603689">PM Modi's ‘historic visit’ will solidify India-US relationship, says Antony Blinken</a>

How did Juneteenth begin?

This began during the American Civil War when then-president Abraham Lincoln, in 1863, issued the "Emancipation Proclamation," freeing over three million slaves in the country. The act of liberation came months after the northern US states defeated the slave-owning South in the American Civil War. Finally, on June 19, 1865, the enslaved African-Americans in Texas and Galveston were told they were free.

Every state since then formally recognised Juneteenth as a state or ceremonial holiday except South Dakota.&nbsp;

Even former US president Barack Obama co-sponsored legislation to make it a national holiday, however, the law never passed even after he became the president.&nbsp;

The legislation gained momentum after the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. On 19 June 2021, both US chambers of Congress moved swiftly to pass the bill along with the signature of President Joe Biden, leading it to become a bill.&nbsp;

How is Juneteenth celebrated in the US?

The Juneteenth celebration and traditions vary across the country. In some states, parades are organised, and people gather together, make food and play games together.&nbsp;

Even public readings, singing, picnics and church services are also organised.&nbsp;

Food plays an important role, with barbecues being one of the most popular ways of marking the day with family and friends.&nbsp;

The most famous dish of celebration is called "The Marcus Garvet salad," made with red, green and black beans, and named after the black activist.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twenty-two-us-troops-injured-in-syria-helicopter-mishap-us-says-603793">Also read |&nbsp;22 US troops injured in Syria helicopter mishap, says Washington</a>

Why is it important?

Being the first federal holiday since 1983 after Martin Luther King Jr Day was established, the day became important as despite ending slavery, racism in the US still continues.

The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other African Americans at the hands of police have spurred anti-racism protests in recent years.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth National Independence Day, is observed on June 19 in the United States to commemorate the end of slavery. Last year, US President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing it as a national holiday.

Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth National Independence Day, is observed on June 19 in the United States to commemorate the end of slavery. Last year, US President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing it as a national holiday. The word Juneteenth originated from the words "June" and "nineteenth." The holiday is also called "Juneteenth Independence Day," "Freedom Day" or "Emancipation Day." The US state of Texas became the state to identify this day as a state holiday in 1980, which later became a national holiday. Also read | PM Modi's ‘historic visit’ will solidify India-US relationship, says Antony Blinken How did Juneteenth begin? This began during the American Civil War when then-president Abraham Lincoln, in 1863, issued the "Emancipation Proclamation," freeing over three million slaves in the country. The act of liberation came months after the northern US states defeated the slave-owning South in the American Civil War. Finally, on June 19, 1865, the enslaved African-Americans in Texas and Galveston were told they were free. Every state since then formally recognised Juneteenth as a state or ceremonial holiday except South Dakota. Even former US president Barack Obama co-sponsored legislation to make it a national holiday, however, the law never passed even after he became the president. The legislation gained momentum after the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. On 19 June 2021, both US chambers of Congress moved swiftly to pass the bill along with the signature of President Joe Biden, leading it to become a bill. How is Juneteenth celebrated in the US? The Juneteenth celebration and traditions vary across the country. In some states, parades are organised, and people gather together, make food and play games together. Even public readings, singing, picnics and church services are also organised. Food plays an important role, with barbecues being one of the most popular ways of marking the day with family and friends. The most famous dish of celebration is called "The Marcus Garvet salad," made with red, green and black beans, and named after the black activist. Also read | 22 US troops injured in Syria helicopter mishap, says Washington Why is it important? Being the first federal holiday since 1983 after Martin Luther King Jr Day was established, the day became important as despite ending slavery, racism in the US still continues. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other African Americans at the hands of police have spurred anti-racism protests in recent years. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Juneteenth 2023:  What is it and why is it celebrated in the United States?

A US federal grand jury on Friday indicted all four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd last year, including Derek Chauvin who was convicted of murder and manslaughter charges in April.

According to The Hill, the multicount indictment from the US District Court for the District of Minnesota, accuses Chauvin along with Thomas Lane, J Kueng and Tou Thao of violating Floyd`s constitutional rights.

All of the men were charged with failing to administer first aid to Floyd as Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than nine minutes.

Watch |&nbsp;

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The indictment announced Friday states that the offenses violated the US Code known as the "colour of law" statute, something that Democrats in Congress have sought to change through the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Under the George Floyd bill, which would implement sweeping national reforms to policing, "willfully" would be changed to "knowingly or recklessly," and the scope of the statute would also broaden.

Also read |<a href="George Floyd's death: Jury to hear opening arguments in Derek Chauvin trial ">&nbsp;George Floyd's death: Jury to hear opening arguments in Derek Chauvin trial&nbsp;</a>

Chauvin also was charged in a separate indictment related to an incident in which he allegedly used unreasonable force on a Minneapolis 14-year-old in September 2017, CNN reported citing a Justice Department statement on Friday.

Meanwhile, Chauvin will be sentenced on June 16. The Hennepin County District Court said that he will be sentenced at 1:30 pm (local time) on June 16, The Hill reported.

The 12 jurors found Chauvin guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd`s death in May 2020.

The maximum sentence for second-degree unintentional murder is imprisonment of not more than 40 years. The maximum sentence for third-degree murder is imprisonment of not more than 25 years.

The maximum sentence for second-degree manslaughter is 10 years and/or USD 20,000.US President Joe Biden later said that the verdict can be a giant step forward on the march towards justice in America.

"Today, a jury in Minnesota found former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd. The verdict is a step forward.

And while nothing can ever bring George Floyd back, this can be a giant step forward on the march towards justice in America," he said in an address to the nation.

Chauvin was the first white police officer in Minnesota to be convicted of murdering a Black person, and many in the country saw the high-profile trial as a referendum on policing in the US, according to The Hill.

A US federal grand jury on Friday indicted all four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd last year, including Derek Chauvin who was convicted of murder and manslaughter charges in April.

A US federal grand jury on Friday indicted all four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd last year, including Derek Chauvin who was convicted of murder and manslaughter charges in April. According to The Hill, the multicount indictment from the US District Court for the District of Minnesota, accuses Chauvin along with Thomas Lane, J Kueng and Tou Thao of violating Floyd`s constitutional rights. All of the men were charged with failing to administer first aid to Floyd as Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than nine minutes. Watch | The indictment announced Friday states that the offenses violated the US Code known as the "colour of law" statute, something that Democrats in Congress have sought to change through the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Under the George Floyd bill, which would implement sweeping national reforms to policing, "willfully" would be changed to "knowingly or recklessly," and the scope of the statute would also broaden. Also read | George Floyd's death: Jury to hear opening arguments in Derek Chauvin trial Chauvin also was charged in a separate indictment related to an incident in which he allegedly used unreasonable force on a Minneapolis 14-year-old in September 2017, CNN reported citing a Justice Department statement on Friday. Meanwhile, Chauvin will be sentenced on June 16. The Hennepin County District Court said that he will be sentenced at 1:30 pm (local time) on June 16, The Hill reported. The 12 jurors found Chauvin guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd`s death in May 2020. The maximum sentence for second-degree unintentional murder is imprisonment of not more than 40 years. The maximum sentence for third-degree murder is imprisonment of not more than 25 years. The maximum sentence for second-degree manslaughter is 10 years and/or USD 20,000.US President Joe Biden later said that the verdict can be a giant step forward on the march towards justice in America. "Today, a jury in Minnesota found former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd. The verdict is a step forward. And while nothing can ever bring George Floyd back, this can be a giant step forward on the march towards justice in America," he said in an address to the nation. Chauvin was the first white police officer in Minnesota to be convicted of murdering a Black person, and many in the country saw the high-profile trial as a referendum on policing in the US, according to The Hill.

US grand jury indicts 4 ex-Minneapolis police officers in George Floyd's murder

Minneapolis police body-camera videos of George Floyd's fatal arrest showed him begging for an officer to remove a knee from his neck in the moments before his death.

A Minnesota judge on Friday ordered the public release of the footage nearly three months after Floyd's death, which sparked nationwide protests against police violence and racism. Floyd was Black and the officer charged with murder is white.

The videos, roughly an hour in length, came from the body cameras of former officers Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, who were the first to respond to a store where Floyd was accused of passing a fake $20 bill.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/george-floyd-case-judge-orders-release-of-minneapolis-police-body-camera-video-319100" hreflang="en">George Floyd case: Judge orders release of Minneapolis police body camera video</a>

The footage began at 8:09 p.m. on May 25 as Lane and Kueng approached Floyd's vehicle and quickly escalated after Lane drew his gun.&nbsp;

Lane, Kueng and a third officer have been charged with aiding and abetting murder. Derek Chauvin, a fourth officer who knelt on Floyd's neck, has been charged with murder.

Without explaining the reason for the stop, Lane pulled Floyd from the car and Floyd and passenger Shawanda Hill told police he was previously shot in a similar situation. Hill told them he has "a thing going on" about the police.

Floyd begged the officers not to put him in a police car, saying he was claustrophobic and has coronavirus before they push him into the back seat.

Floyd then got out, at which point the officers put him face down on the ground and Chauvin put his knee on Floyd's neck for around 9-1/2 minutes.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/im-not-a-bad-guy-a-distraught-george-floyd-says-in-newly-released-footage-313658" hreflang="en">'I'm not a bad guy': A distraught George Floyd says in newly released footage</a>

Around 16 minutes into the footage, Floyd uttered his final words: "Man, I can't breathe."

Floyd was on the ground around six minutes before Kueng checked his pulse and said he could not find one. When emergency responders arrived two minutes later, they loaded Floyd into the ambulance rather than treating him on the spot.

It was only when Floyd was inside the ambulance, after several more pulse checks, that Lane began chest compressions. Five minutes later a medic ventilated Floyd, 10 minutes after Kueng failed to find a pulse.

Journalists and members of the public were previously allowed to view the video by appointment, and a British newspaper published parts of the video before media organizations requested they be made public.

Minneapolis police body-camera videos of George Floyd's fatal arrest showed him begging for an officer to remove a knee from his neck in the moments before his death.

Minneapolis police body-camera videos of George Floyd's fatal arrest showed him begging for an officer to remove a knee from his neck in the moments before his death. A Minnesota judge on Friday ordered the public release of the footage nearly three months after Floyd's death, which sparked nationwide protests against police violence and racism. Floyd was Black and the officer charged with murder is white. The videos, roughly an hour in length, came from the body cameras of former officers Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, who were the first to respond to a store where Floyd was accused of passing a fake $20 bill. Also read: George Floyd case: Judge orders release of Minneapolis police body camera video The footage began at 8:09 p.m. on May 25 as Lane and Kueng approached Floyd's vehicle and quickly escalated after Lane drew his gun. Lane, Kueng and a third officer have been charged with aiding and abetting murder. Derek Chauvin, a fourth officer who knelt on Floyd's neck, has been charged with murder. Without explaining the reason for the stop, Lane pulled Floyd from the car and Floyd and passenger Shawanda Hill told police he was previously shot in a similar situation. Hill told them he has "a thing going on" about the police. Floyd begged the officers not to put him in a police car, saying he was claustrophobic and has coronavirus before they push him into the back seat. Floyd then got out, at which point the officers put him face down on the ground and Chauvin put his knee on Floyd's neck for around 9-1/2 minutes. Also read: 'I'm not a bad guy': A distraught George Floyd says in newly released footage Around 16 minutes into the footage, Floyd uttered his final words: "Man, I can't breathe." Floyd was on the ground around six minutes before Kueng checked his pulse and said he could not find one. When emergency responders arrived two minutes later, they loaded Floyd into the ambulance rather than treating him on the spot. It was only when Floyd was inside the ambulance, after several more pulse checks, that Lane began chest compressions. Five minutes later a medic ventilated Floyd, 10 minutes after Kueng failed to find a pulse. Journalists and members of the public were previously allowed to view the video by appointment, and a British newspaper published parts of the video before media organizations requested they be made public.

Minneapolis police bodycam videos show struggle before Floyd death

Altaf Hussain, the founder and leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has urged the&nbsp;Pentagon to stop providing&nbsp;civilian and military aid to Pakistan.

Hussain wrote a letter addressed to the US government, and requested the officials to stop the aid to help the minority people pf Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan/pakistan-pia-pilots-ignored-warnings-from-controller-before-crash-303209">Also read:&nbsp;Pakistan: PIA pilots ignored warnings from controller before crash</a>

"Pakistan has occupied militarily three provinces of the country namely Sindh, Balochistan, KPK and Gilgit-Baltistan region and their barbaric and brutal repression is still going on."

"Time has come to ask your powerful decision-makers to stop civilian and military aid to Pakistan in order to end misery, agony and sufferings of people of Sindh, Balochistan, KPK and Gilgit-Baltistan," the letter read.

Talking about the ongoing (violent) protests in the US against the killing of unarmed George Floyd, he expressed his disappointment about the US officials not understanding the similar pain that the minority groups in Pakistan have been facing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-cops-charged-in-floyd-death-one-faces-2nd-degree-murder-count-homicide-303080">Also read:&nbsp;Four cops charged in Floyd death, one faces 2nd-degree murder count homicide</a>

"But unfortunately, decision-makers of past and present US administration are persistently failed to understand the sufferings of people of Pakistan and for one reason or other the Pakistani despotic regimes of past and present are being supported ignoring the fact that they are the most racist and brutal in the world," the letter read.

The Pakistan Army is the creator of Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and hundreds of other Jihadi outfits where thousands of religious fanatics and terrorists are being trained as strategic assets of ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), said Hussain. He also noted that Pakistan`s powerful military and its intelligence agencies under the camouflage of so-called democratic civilian government is one of the most repressive in the world.

(With inputs from ANI)

Altaf Hussain, the founder and leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has urged the Pentagon to stop providing civilian and military aid to Pakistan. Hussain wrote a letter addressed to the US government, and requested the officials to stop the aid to help the minority people pf Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Altaf Hussain, the founder and leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has urged the Pentagon to stop providing civilian and military aid to Pakistan. Hussain wrote a letter addressed to the US government, and requested the officials to stop the aid to help the minority people pf Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. Also read: Pakistan: PIA pilots ignored warnings from controller before crash "Pakistan has occupied militarily three provinces of the country namely Sindh, Balochistan, KPK and Gilgit-Baltistan region and their barbaric and brutal repression is still going on." "Time has come to ask your powerful decision-makers to stop civilian and military aid to Pakistan in order to end misery, agony and sufferings of people of Sindh, Balochistan, KPK and Gilgit-Baltistan," the letter read. Talking about the ongoing (violent) protests in the US against the killing of unarmed George Floyd, he expressed his disappointment about the US officials not understanding the similar pain that the minority groups in Pakistan have been facing. Also read: Four cops charged in Floyd death, one faces 2nd-degree murder count homicide "But unfortunately, decision-makers of past and present US administration are persistently failed to understand the sufferings of people of Pakistan and for one reason or other the Pakistani despotic regimes of past and present are being supported ignoring the fact that they are the most racist and brutal in the world," the letter read. The Pakistan Army is the creator of Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and hundreds of other Jihadi outfits where thousands of religious fanatics and terrorists are being trained as strategic assets of ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), said Hussain. He also noted that Pakistan`s powerful military and its intelligence agencies under the camouflage of so-called democratic civilian government is one of the most repressive in the world. (With inputs from ANI)

MQM chief urges US to stop military aid in Pakistan and save minority groups

The face of George Floyd was immortalised by Syrian artist Aziz Asmar, as 'I can't breathe' protests continue around the world.

Syrian artist paints portrait of George Floyd on Idlib wall

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Juneteenth 2023: What is it and why is it celebrated in the United States?

US grand jury indicts 4 ex-Minneapolis police officers in George Floyd's murder

Minneapolis police bodycam videos show struggle before Floyd death

MQM chief urges US to stop military aid in Pakistan and save minority groups

Syrian artist paints portrait of George Floyd on Idlib wall