Learn About Juneteenth
Juneteenth, recognized annually on June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and has been celebrated by African-Americans since the late 1800s. In Texas, Juneteenth has been an official holiday since 1979. In 2021, it was made a federal holiday. By 2019, 48 states including the District of Columbia recognized Juneteenth. By 2020, only Texas had adopted the holiday as a paid holiday for state employees. As of 2021, more states declared Juneteenth a paid holiday for state employees in Minnesota, Illinois, New York, Washington, and Virginia.