People across the Santa Maria Valley honor Juneteenth

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – People across the Central Coast, and specifically the Santa Maria Valley, are gathering to honor and celebrate Juneteenth.

In his first year in office, President Joe Biden signed legislation designating June 19 as the official Juneteenth National Independence Day in the United States.

Some people call it "Freedom Day."

President Abraham Lincoln’s signed the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, but the state of Texas did not announce the end of slavery until June 19, 1865.

Juneteenth has been a Texas state holiday since 1980, but today, not all states observe it as a paid holiday.

How do you celebrate Juneteenth?

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