These States Embrace Juneteenth As A Federal Holiday

This year seems to be flying by with many holidays to come. Still fairly new to some, Juneteenth will be here before you know it. It marks the day in 1865 that Union soldiers, led by General Gordon Granger, reached Galveston, Texas. They announced to the state that the Civil War was over and that all enslaved persons had been declared free. On June 19, more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree. 

Though one of the newest federal holidays to hit the scene, not every state recognizes it as one. So, which states recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday?  At the state level, governments vary considerably in whether they commemorate it as an official holiday, a day of observance, or something in between.

According to Pew Research, in 2023, at least 28 states and the District of Columbia legally recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday. This means that state government offices were closed and state workers had a paid day off.

Juneteenth in 2023 marked the third anniversary of the federal recognition of the holiday. President Joe Biden formally recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, but this didn’t guarantee a day of paid time off for everyone. USA Today reported that by the time President Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday, almost all states had voted independently to commemorate Juneteenth as a day of observance.

As compared to public holidays, in which all state employees have the day off and banks close, days of observance like Earth Day or Flag Day are recognized but not given off.

The governors of West Virginia and Alabama have authorized Juneteenth as a state holiday through proclamation, but it will not be considered a permanent holiday unless state legislatures pass bills into law.

California allows state employees to take off on Juneteenth instead of receiving a personal holiday.

According to Pew Research, in Pennsylvania, employees under the governor’s jurisdiction can take a paid day off, and in North Carolina, employees can take a floating holiday on a day of “cultural, religious, or personal significance.”

Connecticut, Minnesota, Nevada, and Tennessee have made Juneteenth a public holiday at the state level starting last year.

Except for Texas, all states that currently recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday commemorated it as a day of observance years before it became an official state holiday. Florida, Oklahoma, and Minnesota were the first states outside Texas to commemorate Juneteenth as a day of observance in the 1990s. New Mexico has recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday since 2006, observed on the third Saturday of June. It became a paid holiday for state workers for the first time in 2022.

South Dakota, North Dakota, and Hawaii were the last states to give Juneteenth any formal recognition as an important date. The day was not observed in South Dakota until 2020 when the governor proclaimed it a state holiday.

In Hawaii and North Dakota, Juneteenth has been a day of observance since 2022 but is not considered a state holiday.

Interestingly, some companies within these states that are not government or federal jobs took the initiative to observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday.

In 2022, cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Phoenix declared the day an official paid holiday for city workers. In addition to Juneteenth, the District of Columbia celebrates Emancipation Day on April 16 in honor of the day Lincoln freed the enslaved people living in D.C., almost nine months before the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Galveston, TX in 1865. The order was issued to free all enslaved people by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865.

This came two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which issued all slaves to be freed in America. The name "Juneteenth" is the combination of June and nineteenth, the day on which the order was issued. In 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday signed into law by President Joe Biden.

As African Americans celebrate the holiday nationwide, it is important to note that anyone and everyone can learn more about Juneteenth as part of our nation's history. To start, you can take a look at some Juneteenth 2023 celebratory television specials and films below.

In season 1, episode 9 of Donald Glover's critically claimed Atlanta, Earn (LaKeith Stanfield) and Van (Zazie Beetz) attend a Juneteenth party. The episode originally aired in 2016 and can be streamed on Hulu.

While not Juneteenth specific, High On The Hog takes you into a special part of African American culture: the food. The Netflix documentary originally aired in 2021 and is still available on the streaming platform.

Miss Juneteenth stars Nicole Beharie as Turquoise Jones, a woman who wants her teenage daughter Kai Jones (Alexis Chikaeze) to win the Miss Juneteenth pageant like she did but take on the opportunities winning the crowd will afford her. The film was released in 2020 and now is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

On season 4, episode 1 of black-ish, the Johnson family celebrates Juneteenth in a musical-style episode. The show originally aired on October 3, 2017 and can be streamed on Hulu.

CNN will be celebrating Juneteenth with a special concert that will have performances from Miguel, Nelly, and Chlöe Bailey will be doing a tribute to Tina Turner. According to a statement, CNN’s Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom "promises to be an unforgettable event that pays homage to the past, celebrates the present, and looks forward to a future filled with unity and equality."

The special will be broadcast on CNN and OWN at 8 p.m. ET on June 19.

Take a look at last year's celebration above.