The Village of Yellow Springs has passed a resolution declaring Juneteenth a holiday.
The recent move by the village council recognizes the historical significance of June 19, 1865, the date Union soldiers finally ended slavery in the U.S.
Brian Housh, council president for the Village of Yellow Springs, says the designation is a recognition of the Black Lives Matter Movement.
“I think that it means more to recognize how important African-American history is for our country and also think about how important it is that we be antiracist in an intentional way,” he says.
Texas was the first state to declare Juneteenth a state holiday in 1980. Other states have followed in the decades since.
The village says their official celebration for this year’s Juneteenth is still being planned. A council decision is expected next week on whether or not to make Juneteenth a paid holiday for village employees.
