original_query: What is the significance of Juneteenth in the United States?
query: What is the significance of Juneteenth in the United States?
answer: Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.  It marks the announcement on June 19, 1865, of General Order No. 3 by Union Army general Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas, the last Confederate state with institutional slavery.  It is now a federal holiday, signifying the ongoing struggle for racial equality and celebrating African-American culture.