On June 19, Union Army general Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation (originally issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863) in Galveston, belatedly bringing about the freeing of 250,000 slaves in Texas. The event, now celebrated as "Juneteenth," eventually gave rise to an annual day of thanksgiving ceremonies, public entertainment, picnics and family reunions. Some communities including Austin set aside land, known as Emancipation Parks, for celebrations on Juneteenth.