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yesterday

Juneteenth Observances Proceed Nationwide as Some States Scale Back Festivities

Nationwide closures of federal offices signal the federal observance of Juneteenth alongside scaled-back local events in several states over budget cuts and political opposition.

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Dancers with the Royal Divas, Saturday, June 18, 2022, at the day’s Juneteenth parade through IUPUI’s campus in Indianapolis.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 17: Crowds gather along Welton Street in Five Points for the Juneteenth Music Festival on June 17, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. Organizers say its one of Denver's longest running parades dating back to the 1950's where "nearly 3,000 people march to honor the struggles and social progress achieved through marches and demonstrations organized for freedom, justice, and equality in our country's history".
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Overview

  • Federal offices, the U.S. Postal Service, the stock market and most banks are closed in observance of Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the 1865 emancipation announcement in Galveston, Texas.
  • President Joe Biden is expected to join a ceremony at a historic African Methodist Episcopal church in Galveston where Union troops first announced freedom to enslaved Black Americans.
  • Cities nationwide are hosting parades, cookouts, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation and educational programs to honor Black history and culture on the holiday’s 160th anniversary.
  • Several states, including West Virginia, have canceled or reduced official Juneteenth events this year due to budget constraints and political resistance to diversity and inclusion initiatives.
  • Most private businesses, retailers and delivery services like UPS and FedEx remain open, and many schools are already on summer break, offering alternative gathering opportunities.