On June 19, 1865, union troops marched to Galveston Bay in Texas to announce all slaves had been freed.

This came two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

For McAllen resident Ray Howard, the day has a deep meaning in his heart.

“For those of us who are descendants, when we look back at the struggle, we look back at the culture of enslavement,” Howard said. “We are blessed, we believe, to have been the beneficiaries of their resilience.”

Howard says for some people, Juneteenth is known as the second Independence Day for this country.

Juneteenth is not just about reflecting on the lived experiences of his ancestors, Howard says. It's also about challenging each other to do better as a country.

“We lift up Juneteenth as a reminder that the past can never be repeated, never,” Howard said. “Each of us, individually and collectively, still have a continued responsibility to push the agenda of freedom forward so that generations following us have even greater opportunity.”

The McAllen Public Library is celebrating Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19 with several events. 

Watch the video above for the full story.