 It spread across the South and became more commercialized in the 1920s and 1930s, often centering on a food festival.During the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, it was eclipsed by the struggle for postwar civil rights, but grew in popularity again in the 1970s with a focus on African American freedom and arts.By the 21st century, Juneteenth was celebrated in most major cities across the United States.