June 19 is Juneteenth, a holiday celebrated in Texas and in 26 other US states as well as the District of Columbia. The holiday commemorates the day in 1865 that the slaves in Galveston,Texas were liberated by Union General Gordon Granger. (Although, the “Emancipation Proclamation” went into effect on January 1, 1863, there was little way to enforce it at the time.)

Celebrations began the following year, first in Galveston and then throughout the state of Texas. Today, Juneteenth is an official holiday in seven states and festivities include historic plays and tableaus (as pictured above), parades, and cook-outs for family and friends.

^{(photo © newscom)}

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Juneteenth

June 11 is Kamehameha Day in Hawaii, a public holiday that celebrates the life of the first king of a unified Hawaii. Kamehameha I, who ruled from 1782 to 1819, united the various Hawaiian islands into one kingdom in 1810. Known as the “Napoleon of the Pacific,” he is known for his advances in the judicial, social, and educational systems of the islands.

Kamehameha Day celebrates ancient Hawaiian traditions. The day is marked by a floral parade from the Iolani Palace in Honolulu through the city to Kapiolani Park, which hosts an all-day party, with arts & crafts, traditional foods, cultural exhibits, and live music and dance. The bronze statue of Kamehameha I, which stands in front of the Hawaiian judicial building, is traditionally draped with colorful, floral leis on June 11.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

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Kamehameha Day

March 26 is Prince Kuhio Day in Hawaii. The day commemorates the birth of Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole in 1871. Kuho was prince to the throne of Hawaii when the island nation was overthrown by American residents in 1893.

Kuhio was imprisonned after the uprising. Upon his release, he traveled throughout the world in a sort of self-imposed exile. The draw of the islands was too compelling, however, and Prince Kuhio returned in the early 20th century. He was elected to the US Congress in 1903 and served there until his death in 1921.

Prince Kuhio Day is a legal holiday in Hawaii.^{(Hawaii State Archives photo)}

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Prince Kuhio Day in Hawaii

March 6 is Alamo Day in San Antonio, Texas. This day commemorates the 13-day sieze that ended on March 6, 1836. It was at this battle that 200 Texans held out at the Alamo Mission against the larger and better-supplied Mexican army under General Santa Anna. Over 150 men were killed on March 6, including Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett.

Activities to honor Alamo Day include a dawn ceremony on March 6 with reenactors and a breakfast for visitors. This year the ceremony starts at 6am. This weekend, March 8 and 9, is Remember the Alamo Weekend, and the historic site will host a variety of cultural events and reenactments.

^{(photo © stockxchge)}

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Alamo Day

March 2 is Independence Day in Texas. This marks the day in 1836 when the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed at Washington-on-Brazos, a small town about halfway between presentday Austin and Houston.

At the time the Declaration was signed, Texan freedom fighters were under seige by the Mexican army under General Santa Anna at the Alamo in San Antonio. Although they would be defeated in that battle, by the end of April, the Mexican army was beaten and Texas was an independent country. It would stay that way for over ten years.

The day is a state holiday in Texas and commemorated by parades (particularly the large one in Austin, pictured above), festivals, and a re-enactment at Washington-on-Brazos, now a state park.

^{(photo © JmtImages/cc license)}

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Texas Independence Day

February 12 is Georgia Day in the “Peach State.” The day is the anniversary of the arrival of the first European colonists in what is now Savannah in 1733, led by James Oglethorpe on the HMS Anne.

The day is marked by parades, festivals, and reenactments.

^{(photo credit: flickr user-old shoe woman/cc license)}

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Georgia Day