Congress passes bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) voted Wednesday to establish Juneteenth (June 19th) a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.
While Confederate soldiers surrendered in April 1865, the last enslaved Black people did not learn they were free until June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, finally bringing an end to slavery in Texas and the United States.
This bipartisan legislation was passed by both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, and currently awaits President Biden's signature.
Juneteenth will be the United State's 12th federal holiday.
"It is long past time to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. Federal holidays are sacred days for Americans to remember our history. Juneteenth is a day for our nation to reflect on the sins of our not-too-distant past and recognize the systemic racism born out of slavery that unfortunately still exists in every aspect of our society and the institutions it was built upon," said Rep. Tim Ryan.
"The problems we face are systemic, and if we are going to make real and lasting change, the solutions will too need to be systemic. We cannot stop marching. We cannot stop speaking out. We must continue to demand progress so we can usher in true justice and equality for all. This will take all of us to not only change our institutions but change ourselves and the way we see and treat one another."