The holiday to mark the end of slavery in the U.S. goes back to an order issued on June 19, 1865 as Union troops arrived in Galveston at the end of the Civil War. General Order No. 3 declared that all enslaved people in the state were free and had “absolute equality.”

As towns and cities across the United States today celebrate the anniversary of the end of slavery on Juneteenth, see how communities have marked the federal holiday in years past.

Juneteenth celebrations have kicked off in Odessa and Midland and will continue through Sunday, June 22nd. June 19 marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom,