June 19th, a day also known as Juneteenth, marks the end of slavery in the United States. On that day in 1865, Union soldiers delivered General Order No. 3 to Texas, the document that officially ended slavery. Though for years the day has been celebrated and recognized nationwide, this year will be the first that it is an official federal holiday.
Massive support in favor of the bill occurred in both the Senate and the House of Representatives this past week. The legislation in the Senate was sponsored by Edward Markey, D-Mass, and the legislation in the House of Representatives was sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.
On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the bill, declaring June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day. This is the 12th declared legal public holiday. The last time a new federal holiday was signed into law was in 1983, by former President Ronald Reagan.
CNBC, Mandel Nagan, Getty Images
"Every year we must remind successive generations that this event triggered a series of events that one by one defines the challenges and responsibilities of successive generations. That’s why we need this holiday." – Al Edwards, Texas Democratic Representative
Juneteenth is an American symbol of freedom from slavery. Now, it’s time to celebrate it officially.