MID-HUDSON – June 19 – Juneteenth – which marks the official end of slavery in the United States, is now a federal holiday and is being marked across the region with festivals and celebrations.
Because this year the holiday falls on a Sunday, the legal holiday is Monday, June 20, with celebrations being held on either day depending upon the community.
Governor Kathy Hochul has issued a proclamation in observance of Juneteenth. The governor also announced that the red, black, and green Black Liberation Flag has been raised over the State Capitol on Sunday, June 19 and Monday, June 20, and that state landmarks will be illuminated red, black, and green on Sunday June 19.
“Arriving just over a month after the horrific, racist shootings in Buffalo, this year’s Juneteenth observance is an opportunity to reflect and heal as we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Africans and their descendants in this country,” Hochul said. “In recognition of the black community’s persistent and intergenerational resistance to institutional oppression, I have directed the Black Liberation Flag to be flown over the state Capitol this year to signify New Yorkers’ solidarity in the struggle against the senseless violence and discrimination inflicted upon black communities, families, and individuals.”
