For some, it’s a well-needed day off. But Juneteenth, celebrated this Thursday, June 19, in communities across the nation, holds a sacred place in African-American history.
Juneteenth, established by President Joseph Biden in 2021, is the newest federal holiday. Sometimes referred to as “Black Independence Day” or “Freedom Day,” Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 that news of the Emancipation Proclamation made it to enslaved people in the South, nearly three years after it was actually signed.
Here’s what you need to know about Juneteenth 2025: What it is, why it’s celebrated, and what’s going on in the Daytona Beach area.
Who gets the day off? What is open?
Non-essential federal, state, and city government offices are closed. Public and private schools may also be closed. Banks, the stock market, and the U.S. Postal Service are closed. Although many private-sector employers give employees the day off, workers in retail, grocery stores, and restaurants are not as lucky as many of those outlets are open for business.
Is it always celebrated on the same day each year?
It is always on June 19, but Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) may fall on different days each year.
What is the history of the holiday?
The holiday marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people in Texas and the nation were freed, on June 19, 1865.
The next year, the now-free people started celebrating Juneteenth in Texas. Its observance has continued around the nation and the world ever since. Events include concerts, parades, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, and other celebrations of Black culture and history.
What’s going on for Juneteenth in the Daytona Beach area?
Eileen Zaffiro-Kean contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Juneteenth: What you need to know about how the holiday is celebrated in the Daytona area
Reporting by Colleen Michele Jones, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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