Juneteenth Celebration

The Juneteenth holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when the Union Army arrived in Texas with federal orders proclaiming the end of slavery. The orders came nearly two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared enslaved people in the Confederate states free.

Learn more through the National Archives, where you can view a digital copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863. You can also check out the city’s reading list on Juneteenth, racial equity, and social justice.

In July 2020, the Mayor and Council approved a resolution making Rockville the first municipality in Maryland to recognize Juneteenth as a paid city holiday.

2026 Event Details

Stay tuned for details about the 2026 event!