I’m from the South (mountains of East Tennessee) Maybe I just didn’t pay attention to Juneteenth or something...
You are in a great part of the country.
You didn’t hear about it because it is a state holiday in Texas. The Emancipation Proclamation was Jan 1, 1863. Texas was furthest slave state away ... the story is that Union General Granger arrived in Galveston on the June 18. On June 19th he publicly read federal orders that slaves in Texas were free. Not sure you ever visited Texas, but Texans have a great pride in their state history.