Juneteenth celebrates the day in 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas learned they were free — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This year’s observance takes on special significance amid protests across the country demanding racial equality and justice following the death of George Floyd while in police custody.
Observance of the holiday is also growing with some governments — among them, Philadelphia and Montgomery County, and state driver license and photo centers — closing their offices for the day. Gov. Tom Wolf has declared the day a holiday for more than 70,000 state workers under his jurisdiction. Some businesses, including such institutions as PNC Bank, Google and the National Football League, will be closed.
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