Juneteenth celebrations date back to 1865, when news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached the most remote areas of the United States more than two years after it became law. While most Juneteenth celebrations have been local traditions, national conversations around racial equity and social justice have made Juneteenth observations more popular.

In the last several years, many states and municipalities have even declared official Juneteenth holidays, as Miami-Dade County did in 2021. In April 2021, North Miami Beach became the first city in Miami-Dade County to declare Juneteenth to be an official municipal holiday, making it a paid holiday for its employees, with South Miami soon following suit.