Juneteenth, also called Freedom Day, has been celebrated since 1866. President Joe Biden declared it a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, but Portage County communities celebrated it before that and continue to do so.
Juneteenth celebrations commemorate June 19, 1865, when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas got the news that the Civil War had ended and that they were free. Slavery had ended a full two years before, when President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became official on Jan. 1, 1863.
Join our community of supporters to access this article
Articles older than 30 days are available to Portager subscribers with a Plus or Premium plan. Subscriptions start at just $1/month.
Already a paid subscriber? Log in here
Plus
Get more from your email newsletter.
$1+ /month
View subscription options- Email newsletter delivered Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- Full access to The Portager website
- Participate in the community forum
- Access articles older than 30 days
- Read the publisher's comments in the email newsletter
- List of real estate transactions
- Local comic strip, Headwater Tales
- Donate one free ad per year to a local business or charity
- Print newspaper home delivery via USPS
- Sudokus and crosswords
- 20% off everything in The Portager shop
Premium
Get our print newspaper delivered.
$17 /month
$180 /year
View monthly option View yearly option- Email newsletter delivered Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- Full access to The Portager website
- Participate in the community forum
- Access articles older than 30 days
- Read the publisher's comments in the email newsletter
- List of real estate transactions
- Local comic strip, Headwater Tales
- Donate one free ad per year to a local business or charity
- Print newspaper home delivery via USPS
- Sudokus and crosswords
- 20% off everything in The Portager shop