The effort to officially celebrate Juneteenth as a paid holiday has faced skepticism inside legislatures that have largely chosen symbolic gestures to recognize the holiday while curtailing certain conversations on race and racism.
Juneteenth honors when enslaved Black people in Texas were freed, representing the end of slavery in the U.S.
Last year, Congress and President Joe Biden moved swiftly to approve June 19 as a national holiday. It was the first time the federal government had designated a new national holiday since approving Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
However, the move didn’t result in an automatic adoption from most states.
Many states consider the day a ceremonial holiday, but not one that prompts the closure of state offices.
Because Juneteenth falls on a Sunday this year, the holiday will be officially observed on Monday. Federal offices, including courts and post offices, will close Monday.
