The Birmingham Times
Juneteenth is now an official Alabama state holiday.
Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday signed legislation marking the annual holiday on June 19.
The Alabama Senate had passed the bill to officially recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. The legislation, known as House Bill 165, was previously passed by the Alabama House of Representatives.
“Since President Trump observed Juneteenth in June of 2020, we have proclaimed it each year, and I am pleased the Legislature has made it an official state holiday,” said Gov. Ivey after the signing Thursday afternoon.
The bill, sponsored by Bobby Singleton and Representative Rick Rehm, makes Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the end of slavery after the Civil War, an official state holiday.
For several years, Ivey has designated Juneteenth as a state holiday, but it has not been officially recognized. The bill adds 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.
Juneteenth has been recognized as a federal holiday since 2021.
