This Thursday will mark Juneteenth.
Celebrated annually on the 19th of June across the U.S., Juneteenth commemorates the abolition of slavery and is often referred to as the nation’s “second Independence Day.”
June 19th marks the day in 1865 when roughly 2,000 Union Army soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with the announcement that enslaved people were now free. In his order, Union Army Major General Gordon Granger declared that “the people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, which formally abolished slavery in the U.S., wasn’t passed by Congress until January 31, 1865. It was ratified later that year.
Now, parades, festivals, concerts, family gatherings, church services, and other community events are hosted across the U.S. for Juneteenth.
Juneteenth has been considered a federal holiday in the country since 2021. However, that doesn’t guarantee that all workers around the U.S. will get the day off for it. It is up to individual employers to decide whether they offer time off or additional pay for work on federal holidays.
Find the list in full below:
New Year’s Day: Wednesday, January 1
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Monday, January 20
Inauguration Day: Monday, January 20
Presidents’ Day: Monday, February 17
Memorial Day: Monday, May 26
Juneteenth National Independence Day: Thursday, June 19
Independence Day: Friday, July 4
Labor Day: Monday, September 1
Indigenous Peoples’ Day (also observed as Columbus Day): Monday, October 13
Veterans Day: Tuesday, November 11
Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 27
Christmas Day: Thursday, December 25
Other important days to note:
Valentine’s Day: Friday, February 14
St. Patrick’s Day: Monday, March 17
April Fools’ Day: Tuesday, April 1
Good Friday: Friday, April 18
Easter: Sunday, April 20
