Bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday passes Senate
By Austin Williams
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States.
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday after Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., announced he would not block the legislation like he did last year.
Juneteenth which officially falls on June 19 marks the day in 1865 when enslaved Black people in Texas were freed with the arrival of federal troops, nearly two-and-a-half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Though slavery was not completely abolished until the 13th Amendment, which came six months later, Juneteenth has come to symbolize the end of slavery.
The Source |Louisiana To Make Juneteenth A Holiday thesource.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thesource.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
After passing unanimously in the Louisiana House and Senate on Monday, a bill that would make Juneteenth an official state holiday awaits the signature of Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. If signed into law, House Bill 554 would reserve the third Saturday of each June as a holiday in Louisiana, KLFY reports. The bill was introduced by Democratic state Rep. Larry Selders, who heralded it as a bipartisan victory. “I really hope making Juneteenth an official state holiday raises awareness about this important event in American history,” he said.