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ATLANTA—Beginning this year, Georgia State University will recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday. Juneteenth National Independence Day, which falls on Sunday, June 19, will be observed Monday, June 20, and all Georgia State campuses will be closed.
Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, the most remote part of the Confederacy, to announce that the Civil War had ended and that all enslaved people were now free. Often referred to as the country’s “second Independence Day,” the holiday proclaims freedom and has been celebrated in many parts of the country since the late 1800s.
The day was recognized as a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp recently signed legislation to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday.
“Juneteenth is a day to reflect on the struggles of the past and celebrate the rich heritage and contributions of African Americans,” said Georgia State President M. Brian Blake. “This is a long overdue recognition.”
Details about Juneteenth events taking place at Georgia State will be announced in the coming weeks.