Juneteenth is a national holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the U.S. It originated from Texas as a state holiday and is now celebrated throughout the country.
Juneteenth is a combination of the words June and 19th, the day according to CNN that Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and told slaves of their emancipation.
Only forty-six states and the District of Columbia acknowledges June 19 as a state holiday or observance. The four states that doesn’t consider this a holiday is Hawaii, North and South Dakota and Montana. Although it has significant history, it was overlooked by non-blacks, until now.
CNN reports many black people mark Juneteenth as Emancipation Day and just like Fourth of July they gather with their loved ones for parties, picnics and more to celebrate the freedom of their ancestors.
According to Cincinnati Enquirer down below is a list of companies observing Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
Paycor: Paid holiday for employees
Fifth Third Bank: Paid holiday for employees
Prolocity Cloud Solutions: Paid holiday for employees
Sorta: Paid holiday for employees
Metro: Paid holiday for employees
JPMorgan Chase & Co.: Offices and branches will close early at 1 p.m.
U.S. Bank: Offices and branches will close early at 1 p.m.
Twitter: Paid holiday for employees
Target: Paid holiday for employees
Square: Paid holiday for employees
Best Buy: Paid volunteer day for employees
National Football League: Paid holiday for employees
Nike: Paid holiday for employees
J.C. Penney: Paid holiday for employees
General Motors: 8 minutes, 46 seconds of silence to support the Black community
Lyft: Paid holiday for employees
Uber: Paid holiday for employees
Community Action Agency: Paid holiday for employees
Juneteenth is becoming widespread as the world continues to reflect on the tragic news of George Floyd’s tragic death on May 25, which sparked a nationwide protests.
Check out this remarkable 155th Anniversary of Juneteenth illustration by Google!
