Today is Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day and Emancipation Day, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

The holiday marks June 19, 1865, when Union Army Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved African Americans were free—two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

What began as a local celebration in Galveston has grown into a national observance and is now the newest federal holiday.

The U.S. Postal Service is closed today, though UPS and FedEx are operating as usual.

Markets including the Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange are closed, along with federal offices and most major banks.

Most major retailers, including Target and Walmart, remain open.