Galveston marker honors home of Juneteenth

GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- There's a new marker honoring Galveston's place in history as the home of Juneteenth.

The Texas Historical Commission unveiled the marker today on 22nd Street and the Strand.

The dedication ceremony included live music and activities for the whole family.

Juneteeth commemorates the date Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to read the Emancipation Proclamation and free the slaves. It was June 19, 1865, nearly three years after the proclamation was issued.