What is Juneteenth? Is it a federal holiday?

Juneteenth, (June 19th)  commemorates the events that happened in 1865 on the 19th day of June.

Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and ordered all slaves to be set free.

It was Maj. Gen. Gordon Grangers’, General Order No. 3, that stated slavery was to be abolished immediately in the Confederate states.

However, slavery in the U.S. wouldn’t formally be abolished until December 6, 1865  with the ratification of the 13th Amendment.

Juneteenth is both a federal and a state holiday.

Closurers can be expected on Thursday. The Postal Service is closed, as well as, state and federal buildings, the stock market, and banks.