Juneteenth is officially a federal holiday. You may be asking yourself what exactly Juneteenth celebrates. Here’s the gist:
On June 19, 1865, news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally began to reach enslaved people in Texas, more than two years after President Lincoln signed it. Black Americans have long celebrated this day, and until this week, 48 states and DC recognized it, but only four states (Texas, New York, Virginia, and Washington) gave state employees the day off.
Now, after being passed in the House and the Senate, President Biden signed Juneteenth into law. This is a big deal! It’s now one of only 12 Federal Holidays and the first since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was added in 1983.
This year, Juneteenth falls on a weekend, so it will largely be observed Friday. An estimated 2 million federal employees are getting a last-minute day off. On Thursday this week, Governor J.B. Pritzker made Juneteenth an official state holiday as well, giving state workers a last-minute paid day off, too.
With Juneteenth officially being declared a holiday, it is appropriate to celebrate and honor the day. In fact, President Biden was quoted Thursday saying, “Great nations don’t ignore their most painful moments, they embrace them.”
