1. Juneteenth Becomes a State Holiday: On May 15, 2021, Governor Larry Hogan signed a bill that declared June 19 as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Maryland. This makes Maryland the first state in the Union South to officially recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday.

2. Flag Day: June 14 is celebrated as Flag Day in the United States. However, in Maryland, Flag Day observance is transferred to the closest working day in conjunction with Juneteenth. This change was made in 2014 to reflect the growing importance of Juneteenth as a celebration of African American history and freedom.

3. Frederick Douglass Statue Unveiling: On June 19, 2012, a bronze statue of Frederick Douglass was unveiled in the U.S. Capitol. The statue depicts Douglass, who was born into slavery in Maryland and later became a leader in the abolitionist movement, holding a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation.

4. Harriet Tubman is Born: On June 19, 1820, Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County, Maryland. Tubman became a leader in the Underground Railroad, helping over 300 slaves escape to freedom in the north.

5. Thurgood Marshall is Born: On June 19, 1908, Thurgood Marshall was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Marshall went on to become the first African American Supreme Court Justice, serving from 1967-1991. Marshall was also a civil rights lawyer who successfully argued the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education before the Supreme Court, which led to the desegregation of public schools.