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Juneteenth
Around the country, local communities hold festivals and events on June 19th to raise awareness about issues of special concern to African Americans.
Glaucoma is one of several health issues disproportionately affecting African Americans. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in African Americans. Glaucoma occurs about five times more often in people of African descent, and often occurs about 10 years earlier in life than in other ethnic populations.
“Juneteenth” originated in Galveston, Texas, where on June 19, 1865, news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally arrived, two years after the proclamation had been signed. For more than a century, the state of Texas was the primary home of Juneteenth celebrations, but it has become an annual celebration for African Americans in cities across the country.