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April 9, 1865: Lee's Surrender at Appomattox Court House

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April 9, 1865: Lee's Surrender at Appomattox Court House

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The Civil War officially ended when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House. This marked the beginning of the Reconstruction era and new possibilities for formerly enslaved people. The surrender set the stage for the ratification of the 13th Amendment and the promise of freedom for all Americans.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture

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On "Freedom's Eve," or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States. Only through the Thirteenth Amendment did emancipation end slavery throughout the United States.

But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as " Juneteenth," by the newly freed people in Texas.

The post-emancipation period known as Reconstruction (1865-1877) marked an era of great hope, uncertainty, and struggle for the nation as a whole. Formerly enslaved people immediately sought to reunify families, establish schools, run for political office, push radical legislation and even sue slaveholders for compensation. Given the 200+ years of enslavement, such changes were nothing short of amazing. Not even a generation out of slavery, African Americans were inspired and empowered to transform their lives and their country.

Juneteenth marks our country's second independence day. Although it has long celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans.

The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times. The National Museum of African American History and Cultureis a community space where this spirit of hope lives on. A place where historical events like Juneteenth are shared and new stories with equal urgency are told.

View Our Juneteenth Digital Toolkit

As you celebrate Juneteenth this year, the museum offers additional resources to help you embrace the rich history of Freedom Day.

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Juneteenth is an often overlooked event in our nation's history. On June 19, 1865, Union troops freed enslaved African Americans in Galveston Bay and across Texas some two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

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Congress divided the South into five military districts, beginning the period of Radical Reconstruction. This act required Southern states to ratify the 14th Amendment and guarantee universal male suffrage before readmission to the Union. The First Military District headquarters in Richmond oversaw Virginia's transformation.

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July 28, 1868: 14th Amendment Ratification

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July 28, 1868: 14th Amendment Ratification

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The 14th Amendment was officially adopted in Washington, DC, guaranteeing citizenship rights and equal protection under the law to African Americans. This landmark amendment fundamentally changed the Constitution and became a cornerstone of civil rights, though its promises would soon be undermined.

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February 25, 1870: Hiram Rhodes Revels Makes History

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February 25, 1870: Hiram Rhodes Revels Makes History

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Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate, representing Mississippi. His election symbolized the new political power gained by African Americans during Reconstruction. Revels filled the Senate seat previously held by Jefferson Davis, the former Confederate president.

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The last major Reconstruction legislation was signed into law, guaranteeing African Americans equal treatment in public accommodations. Though progressive, this act was later struck down by the Supreme Court in 1883, marking a significant setback for civil rights.

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Let’s teach America’s history, together.

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The last federal troops withdrew from the South following the Compromise of 1877, effectively ending Reconstruction. This withdrawal from South Carolina's capital marked the abandonment of federal protection for African Americans' civil rights, leading to the rise of Jim Crow laws.

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Supreme Court Building site, Washington DC

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The Supreme Court struck down the Civil Rights Act of 1875, ruling that the 14th Amendment did not protect African Americans from discrimination by private individuals and businesses. This decision severely limited federal power to protect civil rights and enabled the expansion of segregation.

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Press Street Station, Homer Plessy Way, New Orleans, LA

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In New Orleans, Homer Plessy's challenge to segregated railroad cars led to the Supreme Court's 'separate but equal' doctrine. This landmark case legalized racial segregation for the next 58 years, cementing Jim Crow laws across the South and effectively nullifying many Reconstruction-era civil rights gains.

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Mary Ann Wegmann, The Law Library of Louisiana, University of New Orleans History Department & Nik Richard

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Plessy v. Ferguson | New Orleans Historical

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On June 7, 1892, a 30-year-old African-American man named Homer Plessy attempted to board a segregated East Louisiana Railroad passenger train car at Press and Royal Streets in New Orleans. Louisiana's Separate Car Act, passed in 1890, required the segregation of rail passengers traveling on intrastate railroads. A group of New Orleanians organized as the Comite' des Citoyens (Committee of Citizens) decided to challenge the law. The committee selected Plessy for the legal campaign,…