Sofia Ojeda speaks with Visionary Outreach CEO Eugene Howard about the holiday\u2019s history, meaning and legacy in the Houston area<\/p>\n
Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of the last enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865, is celebrated as a pivotal moment in both Houston-area and American history. (KPRC)<\/p>\n
HOUSTON \u2013 Today is Juneteenth<\/a>, a national holiday recognizing the day the last enslaved people in Texas learned they were free.<\/p>\n Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 \u2014 when Union troops arrived in Galveston and read the Emancipation Proclamation, marking a pivotal moment in both Houston-area history and American history.<\/p>\n Watch: What Juneteenth means to one Pearland family<\/p>\n (KPRC 2 News anchor Sofia Ojeda interviews Eugene Howard, president and CEO of Visionary Outreach.)<\/p>\n Celebrations across the Houston area<\/p>\n Multiple Juneteenth events are planned across the region, including a community celebration at Independence Park in Pearland<\/a>.<\/p>\n When: Saturday, June 20<\/p>\n Time: 6\u20139 p.m.<\/p>\n Where: Independence Park, Pearland<\/p>\n \u2018Part of our family legacy\u2019<\/p>\n For one Pearland family, Juneteenth is more than a date on the calendar \u2014 it\u2019s a legacy passed down through generations.<\/p>\n Ojeda sat down with Eugene Howard, president and CEO of Visionary Outreach, to discuss what the holiday represents and why remembering its history matters today.<\/p>\n Start Here, Houston<\/p>\n More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n