Fast facts:
- Juneteenth, the newest US federal holiday (recognized in 2021), falls on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
- Banks, federal offices, most state offices, and the stock market are closed on June 16.
- Most major retail stores and restaurants will remain open on June 16.
What is nineteenth? When is the?
Juneteenth became the newest US federal holiday in 2021, but Black Americans have celebrated it since June 19, 1865.
Its name comes from a combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth” and commemorates the moment when Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas, and told the 250,000 people enslaved in the state that they were finally free.
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which stated that “all persons held in slavery…shall then, hereafter, and forever be free.” However, it took more than two years for Confederate troops to surrender in the far reaches of the country, and nearly a million people remained enslaved.
The Civil War officially ended at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865, although information traveled slowly (some slaveholders even kept the news from their slaves) and the institution of slavery was not officially abolished until it was ratified the Thirteenth Amendment on December 6, 1865.
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Today, June 16 is a time of celebration and reflection on the fight for freedom. Also known as “Emancipation Day,” “Jubilee Day,” and “Black Independence Day,” Juneteenth is commemorated with parades, barbecues, historical reenactments, religious services, and other social gatherings.
Like the Fourth of July, many companies give their employees the day off, and although banks and federal offices close on June 16, most retail stores remain open.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Is Juneteenth a federal holiday? and a state holiday?
Since Juneteenth is a newer holiday, there has been some confusion over who gets the day off: federal offices are closed on June 16 and most non-essential federal employees have the day off.
Most states have also authorized Juneteenth as a state holiday, although whether or not state workers receive holiday pay for that day varies by state. According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2023, more than half (28) of US states and the District of Columbia now recognize Juneteenth as an official state holiday.
That means state government offices are closed and workers receive vacation pay.
State workers getting Juneteenth as a paid holiday
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Other states have contingent policies. North Carolina considers Juneteenth a floating holiday and some state workers have the day off. In California, state workers have the option of using Juneteenth as a personal holiday. The state of Pennsylvania considers Juneteenth an official annual holiday and only some state employees have the day off.
What does that mean for consumers? If you need to renew your driver's license on June 16, your local DMV may be closed. Check with your local DMV to determine their specific holiday hours.
Here is a list of other Juneteenth-related business hours:
Is the stock market closed on June 16?
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq follow the federal holiday calendar, meaning both will be closed on June 16.
Are banks closed on June 16?
Most banks follow Federal Reserve policy. holiday calendarso they will also be closed in observance of June 16 on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
Is the post office open on June 16?
Since June 16 is a federal holiday, the US Postal Service will not be operating on the June 16 holiday. The post office encourages customers to schedule delivery of their packages to arrive early to avoid delays.
However, other delivery services, such as FedEx and UPSwill be fully operational on June 16, providing pickup and delivery services.
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What stores are open on June 16?
Most major retailers, including costco, Aim, Walmart, will be open June 16 and some will even have holiday-specific deals. Grocery stores, such as Trader Joe's, Whole-grain foods, aldi, HandsStop & shop and Acme will also operate regular hours.
Specialty retailers, such as Dollar General, Best Buy, REI and Ikea, will remain open during regular store hours, as will starbucks.
And while all of these stores will be open, several also recognize June 16 as a company holiday and offer their employees time and a half to work on it.
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How did Juneteenth become a federal holiday?
In 2021, President Joe Biden established June 19 as National Independence Day, making it the first federal holiday created since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 1983.
If June 19 occurs during the week, June 19 is celebrated on that day; If it falls on a weekend, the federal government observes it on a Friday or Monday. In 2024, Juneteenth will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 19.
The first Juneteenth celebrations took place as early as 1866 in Fort Worth, Texas. In the following decades they grew throughout the South, although during the 1960s the Civil Rights Movement took center stage, which involved protests against racial discrimination and segregation throughout the country. Efforts were made to designate Juneteenth as a national holiday during the 1990s and early 2000s.
In 2016, an 89-year-old activist, Opal Lee, brought new attention to Juneteenth, as well as a renewed focus on Congress' recognition of the holiday. She embarked on a 1,400-mile walk between Fort Worth and Washington, DC, and in every state she crossed, she raised awareness (and generated tons of media attention) for Black Independence Day.
Due to growing political tensions arising from the 2016 presidential election, his route was not continuous; rather, she traveled through states where he received invitations to walk, including Louisiana, Colorado, Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania, to name a few.
Lee arrived in Washington on January 10, 2017, where she became known as the “Grandma of Juneteenth.”
“I decided that if a little old lady in tennis shoes walked toward Washington, D.C., someone would notice.”
—Opal Lee, 2022 interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Juneteenth had personal meaning for Lee. He was just 12 years old when his family moved from Marshall, Texas, to a house in the 900 block of East Annie Street in an all-white neighborhood in Fort Worth. On June 19, 1939, an angry mob of 500 people set fire to his house, forcing his family to flee.
Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua via Getty Images
Lee carried her experiences with her throughout her career as an elementary school teacher and, later, as an activist. She co-founded the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society and helped organize the city's annual Juneteenth celebration. She also started a nonprofit organization, Unity Unlimited, a 10-acre farm that provided fresh, healthy produce to neighbors in need.
But Lee had always wondered what happened to his family's land over the years, and when he learned that Habitat for Humanity had purchased his former property, he approached them with an offer. “They didn't sell it to me,” she said. ABC News. Instead, “they gave it to me.”
On May 3, 2024, Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award a civilian can receive.
“Some people think Juneteenth is a 'black holiday,' but it's not. It is a day for all Americans to celebrate and appreciate our freedom. It is a historic day for all of us. As a nation, under God, none of us is free until we are all free.”
—Opal Lee, farmers.gov Blog
Juneteenth became even more of a conventional vacations in 2020. Following the wrongful deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others due to police brutality, protests broke out across the country in support of racial equity and social justice.
It was a time of racial reckoning and nineteenth became more prominent; In 2020 alone, nine states declared it a state holiday in addition to a federal one.
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