On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law. This bill identified and designated the third Monday in January as a Federal holiday to observe and recognize the contributions and life of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The bill was introduced only four days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968, but it would take another 15 years before this legislation was approved by the government, paving the way for the national holiday, and another 17 years later for it to be recognized in all 50 states. Nearly four decades later, on June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. This legislation established Juneteenth as the first federal holiday since the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to be memorialized as America’s commitment and dedication to the cause of freedom. 

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, Black Independence Day, and Jubilee Day, will be observed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Juneteenth is only the 11th federal holiday that all 50 states and the District of Columbia observe and recognize. Despite the historical significance and roots dating back to January 1, 1863, it took more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation calling for freedom for it to be enforced. Additionally, the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all enslaved people, it only impacted the states who rebelled against the United States. It was only enforceable when Major General Gordan Granger, accompanied by 2,000 Union troops, arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, that ended the coerced labor for more than 200,000 enslaved people by their former masters. Therefore, this date was considered the finality of freeing the remaining enslaved people in America. Unfortunately, all enslaved people were not freed. The complete emancipation and the end of slavery did not come until December 15, 1865, during the ratification of the 13th amendment, nearly six months after Juneteenth. 

Black Americans have been celebrating and observing Juneteenth for generations. Black Americans have been horning those determined abolitionists who worked endlessly to gain freedom for all Americans. Black Americans mourn and remember those who were lost, those who endured, and those who persevered through the painful years of slavery, as well as the transition after the end of slavery. Today, many Black Americans still endure ramifications stemming from slavery, including but not limited to unending wealth disparities, lack of resources within predominantly Black communities, as well as the years of unaddressed ongoing reinforced intergenerational trauma that was and is inflicted on the Black bodies and minds presently. However, this is not a Black American Holiday nor is it only the plight of Black Americans. Instead, this is American history. We celebrate, recognize, and observe the ongoing concerns within our and surrounding community that impact so many today. Sharing stories of our shared history, fellowshipping and celebrating the present, and acknowledging the past means that we all stand defiantly in direct opposition to those who continue to uphold outdated systemic racist practices. 

On NYSID's behalf, we encourage all our staff, faculty, and students to celebrate Juneteenth with loved ones, friends, and family. Celebrate, observe, and acknowledge the recent past, the unforgettable history, and how we will continue to work presently for a more just future. Finally, this website will provide ways to celebrate Juneteenth this year within New York City which includes festivals, food tours, ceremonies, Black vendors, donation sites, and summits.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging by contacting NYSID's DEIB Director Mackenzie Carr at mackenzie.carr@nysid.edu for more information and resources to get involved on Juneteenth.