This year marks the third year that New Jersey has celebrated Juneteenth as a public holiday. Although Juneteenth technically combines the words June and nineteenth, the state of New Jersey celebrates the holiday on Friday the 21st.
Here’s everything you need to know about Juneteenth in New Jersey.
What does Juneteenth celebrate?
Juneteenth celebrates the day that federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 and shared the news that slavery had been abolished, freeing the state’s 250,000 enslaved people. According to History.com, this took place two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
The following year, freedmen in Texas organized the first-ever “Anniversary Day” on June 19. The day was celebrated with barbecues, prayers, music and more. As black people migrated across the country, history says the tradition of celebrating Juneteenth came with them.
Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday in 1979, with several other states following suit. It is considered by many to be America’s second Independence Day and is typically celebrated on June 19.
Why does New Jersey celebrate Juneteth on Friday instead of Wednesday?
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. This means that on Wednesday, June 19, banks, post offices and credit unions will be closed and USPS will not deliver mail. In addition, thousands of people across the country will have the day off.
In 2020, less than a year prior to the federal declaration of the Juneteenth holiday, Murphy signed legislation designating Juneteenth as a state holiday. However, instead of celebrating on June 19, the state celebrates the holiday on the third Friday of June every year.
Because the New Jersey state government made Juneteenth a state holiday before the federal government declared it a national holiday, the state will continue to celebrate it on the third Friday in June instead of whatever day the 19th falls on.
Therefore, as with other federal holidays, government agencies such as the Motor Vehicle Commission, state courts, and other state employees will be closed or have a day off on Friday.
New Jersey State Holidays
Juneteenth is one of thirteen national holidays that New Jersey will celebrate in 2024. The other twelve holidays include:
Several other states recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday. According to the Pew Research Center, 28 states and the District of Columbia celebrated Juneteenth in 2023, giving all or some government officials the day off. Most of these states have designated Juneteenth as a permanent holiday in recent years.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Why does NJ observe Juneteenth on Friday? A breakdown
