June 13, 2023 - On June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to proclaim the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were freed. Known as Juneteenth, this day was two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation became official on Jan. 1, 1863. It took the troops two and a half years to reach Galveston with the news.
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday and two years later, the CSU Board of Trustees adopted a resolution designating June 19 as a paid holiday for CSU employees. CSU Channel Islands will be closed on Monday, June 19, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.
Locally, the 32nd annual Juneteenth celebration will be held on Saturday, June 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. This celebration is free and open to the public and includes great food, local artists, and lively entertainment. To learn more, visit the Juneteenth Oxnard website.