- june 19th more commonly known a- juneteenth is the oldest- known commemoration of the end- of slavery in the - united states.- it's a time to celebrate and- remember those who suffered - through the tyranny of the- confederacy during that era.- news 25's victoria bailey spend- the afternoon - taking a deeper look at the - cause behind the celebration.

- - from 1861 to 1865 the north and- south fought the great civil- war.- "when lee surrendered in april of 1865 all of the south didn't- know about it,- texas didn't know about it, and- there were people who were stil- considering - themselves enslaved" however before the civil war- ended in 1865 the emancipation- proclamation was issued in 1863- two and a half years- earlier.- "that simply said the states that were still in combat - against the union.

Those who- were enslaved were forever more- free.

It took a while to get- that information out.

- you had telegraph and that was- it.

So here we have telephone,- - - - telegraph, tell someone else an- in those days it was tell - someone else and typically that- was by- horseback.- it took a considerable amount o- time to alert everyone from key- west, florida to- brownsville, texas," history shows june 19th, 1865 - major general gordon granger- issued an order to establish th- union army's authority over - the people of texas by doing- that he also established the- basis for the holiday - - - - juneteenth.

"the whole idea was to celebrate the victory.

There- are very few celebrations of- - - - victories that african american- have had and every battle we- fought we've won.

- - - - brownsville, texas," history shows june 19th, 1865 - major general gordon granger- issued an order to establish th- union army's authority over - the people of texas by doing- that he also established the- basis for the holiday - juneteenth.

- "the whole idea was to celebrat the victory.

There are very few- celebrations of - victories that african american- have had and every battle we- fought we've won.

- there's a lot of victories- here and that includes- participating with the- continental army in the - revolutionary - war, that includes fighting whe- the spanish american war, that- includes the- civil war and fighting for this- country.

It was a way for - solders and citizens alike in - texas - to celebrate the end of the war- and the victory of achieving- freedom" - coming up later in sports,- - -