JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both the US Senate and House of Representatives.
Also known as Black Emancipation Day, Liberation Day, and Jubilee Day, it’s celebrated on June 19, which marks the anniversary of an historical celebration of emancipation which started in Galveston, Texas when news that enslaved people had been freed by President Abraham Lincoln reached the black community, almost two years and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Many states have already designated the holiday, and momentum for the legislation followed the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd last year.
This year, multiple states have approved bills that limit voting opportunities in black communities, and passed legislation prohibiting schools from teaching about the country’s legacy of racism.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon also signed a proclamation recognizing the significance of the day while encouraging self-development and respect for all cultures. Wyoming has recognized the Juneteenth holiday since 2003, when the state legislature passed a bill establishing the holiday on the third Saturday of the month.
Because of the President’s action, Friday June 18, 2021 is a holiday for most federal employees per the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. In Wyoming the Legislature has set state holidays. While tomorrow will not be a state holiday, the governor is working with lawmakers to consider this option for future years.
“Freedom is always a cause for celebration and this is a momentous day in our nation’s history. I encourage people to observe this commemoration of the full enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation, which embodies the values of all Americans,” Gordon said.
President Joe Biden’s approval makes Juneteenth the first federal holiday established since Martin Luther King, Junior Day in 1983.
