New Delhi, June 15 -- Juneteenth, one of the newest federal holidays in the United States, commemorates the end of slavery in the country and serves as a day of reflection, and celebration of African American history and culture. As Americans prepare to observe the holiday in 2026, here's everything you need to know about its history, significance, celebrations and what services may be affected.

Juneteenth, a combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth," marks June 19, 1865 - the day when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved African Americans that they were free.

The announcement came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

Although the ...