General Order No. 3 was issued on June 19, 1865, by Union General Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas. This order announced the end of the Civil War and the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states were to be freed. The order marked a significant moment in American history, as it emphasized the importance of freedom and equality. June 19 is now celebrated as Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.