The Alabama Senate has passed a bill to officially recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday, sending it to Governor Kay Ivey for approval. The legislation, known as House Bill 165, was previously passed by the Alabama House of Representatives.
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For several years, Governor Ivey has designated Juneteenth as a state holiday, but it has not been officially recognized. If signed into law, the bill would add Juneteenth to the list of state holidays, resulting in the closure of all state offices on June 19.
Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. It is celebrated as the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. In 2021, Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday, highlighting its national importance.
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