As protests continue around the country – and the nation is pushed to reckon with its racist history – cities and states around the country are declaring Juneteenth an official holiday, will momentum building for Congress to declare it a federal holiday as well.
Multiple cities around the country, including Philadelphia and Portland, Oregon, have declared June 19th an official city holiday.
The holiday designation is currently just for 2020, but Mayor Jim Kenney has said he intends to pursue the necessary steps to make Juneteenth a permanent city holiday.
In Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler also declared Juneteenth an official paid holiday.
But now some states are taking it further and have moved to make Juneteenth an official holiday.
