NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would make Juneteenth a federal holiday in the United States. Yesterday, President Biden signed the bill into law. On the same day, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell officially added Juneteenth to the City employees’ holiday calendar, starting with observance of the holiday on Friday, June 18. The New Orleans City Council approved the move during its regular meeting.
“Last year I was proud to proclaim the 19th day of June as Juneteenth in the City of New Orleans, which traces its history of slavery to the early 18th century – before it even became a part of the United States. We recognize the humanity of our enslaved African ancestors who laid the foundation for our city’s unique culture, and seek to help memorialize their suffering and survival in a more intentional way. We hope this will help our people take this time to reflect on our history as we continue to move this city forward,” said Cantrell in a release.
Juneteenth celebrates the ending of slavery in the United States. The event’s origin traces back to June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to bring news of the Emancipation Proclamation.
