Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day was declared a federal holiday and day off for federal workers on June 19, 2021 under the administration of President Joe Biden
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced that City Hall and other municipal buildings will be lit in the Pan-African flag colors of red, black, and green tonight in honor of Juneteenth. During his first year in office, Mayor Adams designated Juneteenth a paid city holiday for the first time in New York City history. Earlier this month, in honor of Juneteenth, Mayor Adams and the Landmarks Preservation Commission announced the creation of “More Than a Brook: Brooklyn Abolitionist Heritage Walk,” an interactive audio tour that explores Brooklyn’s history as a critical neighborhood for the National Abolitionist Movement and the Underground Railroad. The audio tour can be accessed on a smartphone, tablet, or other device through the Landmark Preservation Commission’s (LPC) website. Finally, yesterday, LPC voted to designate the Frederick Douglass Memorial Park in Oakwood Heights, Staten Island as an individual landmark. The Frederick Douglass Memorial Park is the only existing non-sectarian cemetery founded by — and specifically for — New York City’s Black community.
“Juneteenth is a moment to reflect and remember the countless contributions Black Americans have made, and continue to make to this country,” said Mayor Adams. “As the second Black mayor of New York, I want to lift up our ancestors’ legacies with the reverence that they deserve. Juneteenth is a day that all New Yorkers, and all Americans, should be proud to honor — when the promise of freedom finally started to match Black Americans’ lived reality. But, as we all know, that was only the start of a longer struggle. Today, let us honor our inspiring and troubled past, and continue to build on the progress we have made.”
Although the Emancipation Proclamation declared the end of slavery in 1863, Black people in areas controlled by the Confederacy were still treated as slaves for two additional years. On June 19, 1865, Union troops marched into Galveston, Texas and freed those still in bondage; the nation now celebrates that day as Juneteenth — the moment where promises and reality finally converged.
In addition to City Hall, the following city buildings will be lit up red, black and green starting tonight and tomorrow at sundown:
- Bronx Borough Hall: 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451
- The David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building: 1 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007
- DSNY Salt Shed Complex: 336 Spring St, New York, NY 10013
In April, Mayor Adams announced new economic data showing that the unemployment rate for Black New Yorkers has significantly decreased since the start of the administration. Between January 1, 2022 and April 1, 2024, the Black unemployment rate in the five boroughs decreased from 10.7 percent to 7.9 percent — a 26 percent decrease, or to the lowest point in half a decade. This marks the first time since 2019 that the Black unemployment rate in New York City has been below 8 percent
New York NY June 19, 2024
The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which established June 19th (Juneteenth) as a federal holiday in the United States, was passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021.
Specifically:
- The 117th Congress had a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and a Senate split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. However, Democrats effectively controlled the Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tie-breaking vote.
- On June 15, 2021, the Senate unanimously passed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.
- On June 16, 2021, the House of Representatives passed the bill by a 415-14 vote with broad bipartisan support.
- President Joe Biden, a Democrat, signed the bill into law on June 17, 2021, establishing Juneteenth as the 11th federal holiday in the United States.
So in summary, the Juneteenth holiday was enacted during the 117th Congress when Democrats controlled the House, had an effective majority in the evenly split Senate with the Vice President’s tie-breaking vote, and held the presidency under Joe Biden. The bill received near-unanimous support from both parties in Congress before being signed into law.
Citations:
[1] https://ballotpedia.org/116th_United_States_Congress
[2] https://ballotpedia.org/Election_results,_2021:_Party_control_of_state_legislatures
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/117th_United_States_Congress
[4] https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm
[5] https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_us-politics_control-white-house-and-congress-democrats-have-2-years-make-big-changes/6201047.html
Critics:
What would be the financial implications of adding one extra paid holiday in the USA?
The addition of a new paid federal holiday in the United States would have significant economic and financial consequences. Here are some potential impacts:Costs for Businesses
- Businesses would have to pay employees for an additional day off, increasing labor costs. For companies with many hourly workers, this could represent a major expense.
- Productivity losses from having employees out for an extra day each year.
- Some businesses may have to remain open on the new holiday, incurring higher operating costs due to increased holiday pay rates.
Economic Impact
- Lower economic output on the holiday itself as many businesses would be closed or operating with reduced staffing.
- However, increased consumer spending around the holiday could provide an economic boost in areas like retail, travel, and entertainment.
Government Costs
- The federal government would incur costs for providing holiday pay to federal employees.
- State and local governments may follow suit, adding to their payroll expenses.
Worker Benefits
- An extra paid day off would provide workers with more leisure time and work-life balance.
- Lower productivity on the days surrounding the new holiday as some workers may take longer vacations.
Overall, while a new federal holiday would provide benefits to workers, it would come at a significant cost to businesses and the government through increased payroll expenses and potential productivity losses. Careful analysis would be needed to weigh the economic pros and cons.
Sources: Midtown Tribune news – NYC.gov
Big New York news BigNY.com