Where do state workers have a paid day off for Juneteenth? See map
Greta CrossJuneteenth is Friday and for more than half of the country, state workers will have the day off.
Celebrated on June 19, Juneteenth marks when the last Black slaves of the Confederacy were ordered free following the arrival of Union troops. While federal offices are closed for the holiday, states may still determine whether or not it is a state holiday, giving state workers the day off. This year, 33 states and Washington, DC honor Juneteenth as a state holiday.
Juneteenth commemorates the full and complete enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation in the United States. President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation to free enslaved African Americans in secessionist states on Jan. 1, 1863, but enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, would not learn of their freedom until two years later.
On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger informed the community of Galveston of Lincoln's proclamation. Although enslaved people were officially emancipated years prior, enslavers responsible for telling them ignored the order until Union troops arrived to enforce it, founder of Juneteenth.com Cliff Robinson previously told USA TODAY. Texas was the last Confederate state to have the proclamation announced.
Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, signed into law by former President Joe Biden.
As Juneteenth approaches, here's which states honor the holiday.
Which states offer a paid day off for Juneteenth?
Can't see the map in your browser? Visit infogram.com/1p93prgrk3pn7xc7z9xeymxnjpb361kkgvr.
According to the Congressional Research Service and Pew Research Center, states that offer a paid day off for Juneteenth include:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, DC
Which states do not offer a paid day off for Juneteenth?
States that do not offer a paid day off for Juneteenth are:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].