SAN DIEGO- Americans will celebrate Juneteenth this Wednesday, the date on which the last slaves in the United States were proclaimed free.
For generations, African Americans have celebrated the end of one of the darkest chapters in American history with joy, with parades, street festivals, musical performances or barbecues.
The U.S. government was slow to adopt this holiday: Until 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress to declare Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Here’s what you need to know about this federal holiday and what it means for American workers on June 19 this year.
What is Juneteenth?
This celebration began with the freeing of the slaves in Galveston, Texas. Although the Proclamation of Independence freed people enslaved in the South in 1863, in many places it could not be implemented until after the end of the Civil War in 1865.
In an interview in 1941, Laura Smalley, who had been freed on a ranch near Bellville, Texas, recalled that her former master had gone off to fight in the Civil War and had returned home without informing his slaves of his fate. what happened.
“The old master didn’t say, you know, that they were free,” Smalley said at the time. “I think now they say they made them work, six months after that. Six months. And they released them on June 19. That’s why we celebrate that day.”
Union Major General Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, with news that the war was over and the enslaved were now free. That occurred more than two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia.
General Granger issued General Order No. 3, which stated: “The people of Texas are hereby informed that, in accordance with a proclamation of the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This implies an absolute equality of personal and of property between the former masters and the slaves, and the connection that hitherto existed between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”
The following year, those now freed began celebrating Juneteenth in Galveston. Since then, the celebration has spread throughout the country and the world. Events include concerts, parades and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Why is it called Juneteenth?
The term Juneteenth is a portmanteau of the words “June” and “nineteenth.” It has also been called Independence Day or Freedom Day.
Is the post office open on Juneteenth?
The US Postal Service will be closed on June 19 and there will be no mail deliveries.
Will I receive my package from UPS or FedEx?
UPS and FedEx delivery and pickup services will be available and their stores will be open on June 19, according to the companies’ websites.
Will banks be open on June 19?
The Federal Reserve and the New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Wednesday, June 19. As most financial institutions follow the Federal Reserve’s holiday schedule, the vast majority of banks are expected to be closed on Wednesday as well.
Will government offices be closed on June 19?
All federal agencies will be closed Wednesday, including the Department of Traffic and the Social Security Administration.
Will federal employees have the day off?
Most federal, state and municipal employees will have the day off. Many private companies give their workers the day off to celebrate the holiday.
Are shops open on June 16?
Most private businesses, including nationwide retailers, will be open.
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