Juneteenth National Freedom Day

California Governor Gavin Newsom Proclaims Juneteenth a State Holiday

Juneteenth Commemorates the End of Slavery in the United States

Governor Gavin Newsom has proclaimed June 15th as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in California, recognizing the federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

Juneteenth, which falls on June 19th this year, marks the anniversary of the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and that enslaved people were now free.

While Juneteenth is a federal holiday, it is not yet a paid holiday for all state workers in California. However, Governor Newsom's proclamation encourages employers to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday and to provide paid time off for their employees on that day.

Juneteenth is a day to celebrate the end of slavery and to reflect on the long history of racial injustice in the United States. It is also a day to recommit to the fight for racial equality and to create a more just and equitable society for all.