FILE - In this June 17, 2021, file photo, President Joe Biden hands a pen to Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., after signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. From left, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif, Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., Opal Lee, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., obscured, Vice President Kamala Harris, House Majority Whip James Clyburn of S.C., Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, obscured, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FLUSHING — Juneteenth — the date when the Union Army arrived in Texas and freed those who remained enslaved in the Confederacy about two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed — is now a national holiday, giving people additional reason to celebrate.

John Mattox Jr., son of the late John and Rosalind Mattox who founded the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing, looks forward to commenting on the recognition during his remarks at Schuler Park in Flushing during an 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 19 celebration.

“We’re going to have a reading of the Juneteenth order,” he said, referring to the order by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, informing the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free.

“Hearing stuff like that kind of helps people tie together their history,” Mattox said. “I’m very excited. To be honest, I didn’t realize there was a bill out there to introduce that as a federal holiday. I’m enthused that the House got it through and approved before the actual event, because I think that helps to make it a little more significant.”

He said the museum continues its mission of educating people about the impact of African Americans throughout U.S. history.

“I think that is an amazing thing, and for me the most significant part of that is when you think about African American history, there’s a lot of people that treat it just like that … but it’s also American history. It’s as significant as our July 4 is when you think about the number of African Americans in the country and the number of contributions of African Americans to the history of this nation, everything from fighting in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, African Americans had a huge part in American history, and it’s so significant that they are really recognizing that. … African Americans really kind of helped settle this nation, so I think that’s really kind of a missing narrative.

“I feel like there’s a lot of education that’s needed. There’s a lot of people who don’t really know what (Juneteenth is) about or how it came about. It’s a huge first step for American history,” Mattox said.

He reflected on how his father might react on hearing the news.

“He would be ecstatic,” he said. “My father was part of that silent generation. He was born in the ’30s, and there’s a lot of people that age who were kind of just waiting for some things to happen. One of those (milestones) was Barack Obama becoming the first Black president. He got to witness that, and he was very excited about that and I think if he was here today … he would be ecstatic and think that echoes a lot of that generation. I remember him telling me stories of him walking with his father in North Carolina when he was a child and them having to step off the sidewalks (to make way for white people), and there’s probably a lot of people his age that can relate.”

Kristina Estle, curator of the Underground Railroad Museum, looks forward to expounding on the holiday.

“I think this is a great opportunity,” she said. “Now that it’s known across the board, people are going to need to be educated about it. I think that makes our event (today) even more important. … People should know about it, and what it is, and why it is so significant for American history.”

She added the museum has seen an increase in walk-in visitors since the announcement.

“I think we’re trying to have these hard discussions. I think the public needs to be more comfortable talking about this hard history, and it’s time to not shy away from it. I’m very excited about it and I look forward to answering a lot of questions,” Estle said.

Mattox added that the Underground Railroad Museum is open and intends to expand its programming in history and education.

“We’re really looking for a lot of community assistance in volunteers, donations, sponsorships,” he said. “No nonprofit organization can exist without community support. My father did this mainly for the community. He always said this is the community’s museum.”

The museum is located at 121 E. High St, Flushing. For more information, call 740-968-2080. The website is ugrrf.org.

Juneteenth will also be marked at 5 p.m. June 19 in Wheeling, with a short ceremony at the north end of Market Plaza kicking off events.