Will Juneteenth become a federal holiday in the U.S.? When will it start if so?
The U.S. Senate voted unanimously on Tuesday to make Juneteenth, the day that marked the end of slavery, a federal holiday in the U.S. The legislation will now head to the U.S House of Representatives for approval. It is likely to be approved in the House, but the timing of when it will be approved is uncertain. The unanimous Senate passage comes after a long effort to recognize Juneteenth, the day that enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas learned on June 19, 1865, that the Emancipation Proclamation had freed them. Juneteenth is one step closer to becoming a federal holiday. There is more work to do reckoning with and reconciling our past, but I'm grateful that the Senate has taken this important step. https://t.co/eGGtxfPEUU  Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) June 16, 2021  Juneteenth commemorates the moment some of the last formerly enslaved people in the nation learned they were free, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. Making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a major step forward to recognize the wrongs of the past  but we must continue to work to ensure equal justice and fulfill the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation and our Constitution.  Other outside groups supporting the legislation include the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation and the NAACP. The House legislation, which is sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex. ), has up to 166 additional co-sponsors, including two Republican legislators. If the Juneteenth bill passes the House, it would give all federal employees a day off on June 19 or on the following Friday or Monday near it. Many states, such as New Jersey, already observe Juneteenth at the state level. Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill declaring Juneteenth a state holiday into law in 2020. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com  Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us at nj.com/tips.