( Spanish) — Juneteenth, a combination of the words June (June) and nineteenth (nineteen), is the oldest holiday in the United States commemorating the end of slavery. It’s Emancipation Day.
And this year marks the second time Juneteenth, June 19, has been celebrated as a federal holiday, kicking off a week of festivities commemorating the end of slavery in the US and the ongoing fight for fairness and justice.
The federal holiday
Although Juneteenth has been celebrated by many black communities in the US for many years, it was not until June 2021 that it became a federal holiday.
“I’m sorry my grandchildren are not here, because this is a very, very, very important moment in our history. By making June 19 a federal holiday, all Americans can feel the power of this day and learn from our history, and celebrate, progress and deal with the distance we’ve come (and) the distance we have to go,” President Joe Biden said in 2021 when he established June 19 as Emancipation Day.
Currently, all 50 states and the city of Washington (the District of Columbia) recognize June 19 as a holiday or observance, and at least 18 states have enacted laws as a paid state holiday.
At least 28 states plus the city of Washington have Juneteenth as a holiday with government offices closed and state workers being paid. this 2023, Connecticut, Minnesota, Nevada, and Tennessee were the states that made Juneteenth a public holiday. These are the states where Juneteenth is observed as paid state holiday permanently:
- Alabama
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- South Dakota
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois (If June 19 falls on a weekend, Illinois does not make the Friday before or the Monday after it a paid holiday)
- louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Snowfall
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- NY
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- W.V.
- Utah
- Washington (state)
- Washington D.C.
In California state officials can choose to take a break on Juneteenth, while in Pennsylvania the day is designated as an “official annual observation” and state employees under the governor’s jurisdiction have a paid day off. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, some state workers may choose to take a floating holiday on a day of “cultural, religious or personal significance,” including Juneteenth, according to the Pew Research Center.
According to data from the human resources consultancy Mercer, almost 40% of US companies consider June 19 as a paid holiday, which is a significant increase from 9% two years ago.
Juneteenth is the first federal holiday established since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983 and is the eleventh federal holiday recognized by the United States federal government.
Juneteenth celebrations
For many, this Juneteenth represents a time to reconnect with loved ones.
Denver, Colorado is the host of the Juneteenth Music Festivalwhich receives 50,000 people annually.
This June 19, and OWN (both Warner Bros. Discovery properties) will simulcast Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom at 8 pm Eastern time. The concert will feature artists from multiple genres including Charlie Wilson, Miguel, Kirk Franklin, Nelly, SWV, Davido, Coi Leray, Jodeci and Mike Phillips. will kick off pre-show coverage at 7 pm ET, highlighting Black advocates, pioneers and creators.
With reporting from ‘s Ashley Vaughan, Lauren Lee, Ramishah Maruf and Ryan Bergeron.
