Congress Declares Juneteenth a National Holiday
Last week, FEDagent reported that Congress passed legislation making June 19 a federal holiday in observance of Juneteenth. The date celebrates the arrival of Union troops in Galveston, Texas following the end of the Civil War in 1865. While two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the date is viewed as the effective end of slavery in the United States.
On June 15, 2021, the Senate unanimously passed legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. On June 16, 2021, the House of Representatives passed the legislation in a 415 to 14 vote. President Biden signed the legislation into law on the afternoon of June 17, 2021, officially creating the federal holiday.
Moving forward, Juneteenth will be recognized as an annual federal holiday, much like Independence Day on July 4.
The National Museum of African American History & Culture published a blog post on the historical legacy of Juneteenth. And check out this article for more information on how Juneteenth is celebrated.
NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement on the creation of the national holiday, "As we work towards substantive pieces of legislation to protect voting rights and create transparency and accountability in policing, we are encouraged by today's signing of the Juneteenth bill. It is a reminder that freedom is an ongoing fight."
