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Ralph Northam, Governor of Virginia, announced on Tuesday that he will propose officially declaring Juneteenth — a day that commemorates and signifies the end of slavery as known at the time in the U.S. — an official holiday in Virginia.
The holiday would be a paid day off for all state employees.
Northam said he believes Virginia would be only the second state to do so.
Northam has also announced that all executive branches of the state will be given a paid day off on Friday, June 19th, and Pharrell asked for private businesses to do the same.
Earlier this year, Northam also scrapped Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday in Virginia, proving that Virginia continues to be on the right side of history after years of racial injustice.