When the last enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas heard the news on June 19, 1865 that they were officially freed under General Order No. 3, their lives changed quickly.

Freedom for Black people in America at the time did not necessarily mean liberty in the purest sense as a post-Civil War United States grappled with this seismic shift. Black Americans were not quickly afforded freedom of movement or places to settle and had to rely on their community to uplift each other socially, economically, and politically. Today, as Juneteenth celebrations across the nation reflect upon the 160th anniversary of the final waves of emancipation, commemoration efforts have expanded. Below are five places you can visit to learn more about Juneteenth. The National Trust's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund has helped provide support to help with creation, restoration, and preservation efforts at these sites.

1. “Absolute Equality” Mural (Galveston, Texas)

The “Absolute Equality” mural is a 5,000-square-foot public artwork that overlooks the site where Union General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 that freed enslaved people. The mural project was led by the Juneteenth Legacy Project, and came about as a result of wanting to show people visiting Galveston a more prominent and colorful display of the history they were often walking right past. The mural, painted by artist Reginald Adams, shows a montage of enslaved Black people being taken away, Harriet Tubman holding out her hand leading enslaved people to freedom, President Abraham Lincoln, and Black soldiers fighting in the Civil War. But beyond the artistry, the mural also uniquely uses augmented reality technology with the Uncover Everything app to expand on the holiday's history and make the project more accessible to people who may be visually or hearing impaired.

2. Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Galveston, Texas)

The Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first and oldest AME church in Texas, throws an annual Juneteenth party in honor of being “the birthplace of Juneteenth.” The church is considered a cornerstone of abolition history in the wake of enslaved Black people becoming free as General Order No. 3 was read. The church is also an important part of history as it was originally built in 1863 as a place for enslaved people to practice religion. The chapel has received a Preserving Black Churches grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to help restore the structure’s stained-glass windows and repair masonry and stucco.

The chapel has also received a Texas Historical Marker, a Historical Medallion, and is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

3. Antioch Missionary Baptist Church (Houston, Texas)

The church was in the center of Houston's Freedman’s Town and became the first brick structure in the city to be built and owned by African Americans. It launched the Houston Baptist Academy which helped community members learn reading, writing, and math, a much needed skill in the months and years after Black people gained their freedom.

In 2024, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund provided $180,000 to the church to assist restoration efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike from 2008 including the stained-glass windows, gothic frames, and sills.

4. Freedom House (Alexandria, Virginia)

The City of Alexandra purchased the building in 2020 from the Northern Virginia Urban League and has since been working toward major renovations to restore the building including new brick arches, masonry repairs, and replacing rotten wood window frames.

5. Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy (Houston, Texas)

When the last enslaved Black people were freed in Galveston in 1865, there were few places in the state for them to truly settle down with their newfound freedom. Some of them migrated to the Houston area and created Freedmen’s Town, where they established schools, homes, and churches. The Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy strives to uplift the area’s historical place in the post-emancipation era.