Friday to Commemorate Juneteenth

An executive order by Gov. Andrew Cuomo recognizes Friday as Juneteenth, the day that honors the end of slavery in America, and setting it as a holiday for state employees. 

The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when slaves in Galveston, Texas first learned by they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation and that the Civil War had ended.

“Friday is Juneteenth — a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States — and it’s a day that is especially relevant in this moment in history,” Cuomo said. “Although slavery ended over 150 years ago, there has still been rampant, systemic discrimination and injustice in this state and this nation, and we have been working to enact real reforms to address these inequalities.”. He said he would propose legislation for next year, making it an official state holiday.

State workers will have the day off; those required to work will be eligible for compensatory time off later in the year.

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