WASHINGTON, D.C.—Juneteenth marks the last vestiges of slavery in the United States. Historically and culturally, it is celebrated on June 19, commemorating the day in 1865 when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, informing enslaved people of the Civil War’s end and the abolishment of slavery. President Abraham Lincoln announced that the Emancipation Proclamation would go into effect on Jan. 1, 1863.

However, enforcement of the proclamation generally relied upon the advance of Union troops. Due to Texas being a remote Confederate state with a low presence of Union troops, the news of freedom was slow to reach those enslaved. Over the past 159 years, the national observance of Juneteenth has sparked widespread jubilation and solidarity throughout the nation. People from diverse backgrounds across the country have taken part in lively celebrations, attended soul-stirring concerts and engaged in communal feasts, creating a triumphant and poignant tribute to the multifaceted and vibrant tapestry of African American culture that we honor and celebrate today.

Last week, in honor of this year’s Juneteenth National Independence Day, the USDA Forest Service hosted a webinar for all employees on “Sites of Civil Rights Resistance,” which focused on agency efforts to identify African American heritage sites on national forest lands that contribute to national social and environmental justice conversations. Speakers discussed how to develop increased and diversified recreational opportunities around significant sites, their histories, and their interpretation and preservation.