(WHNT) — All state offices in Alabama will be closed next Monday in honor of Juneteenth – America’s newest federal holiday recognizing the end of slavery in the United States.
Juneteenth is observed on June 19, which falls on a Sunday this year. According to a list of holidays recognized by the State of Alabama, the holiday will be observed this year on Monday, June 20.
In a memo, Governor Kay Ivey wrote:
I am authorizing Monday, June 20, 2022 as a holiday for state employees as Juneteenth is recognized as a federal holiday.
All state offices will be closed on that date, except those in areas where it is essential to maintain personnel. If it is necessary for any employee to work on that day, they should be allowed time off as soon thereafter as possible.
Governor Kay Ivey
According to the Associated Press (AP), the State of Alabama recognizes all federal holidays as permanent state holidays, except for Juneteenth. A spokesperson for the Governor’s Office told AP the legislature must decide if Juneteenth will become a permanent state holiday.
President Joe Biden signed a law last year to make Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday in the United States. The day commemorates the last day enslaved African Americans learned they were free – two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Learn the story of America’s newest federal holiday here.
In addition to Juneteenth, state holidays in Alabama for the rest of the year include:
- Fourth of July: Observed on Monday, July 4
- Labor Day: Observed on Monday, September 5
- Columbus Day, Fraternal Day, & American Indian Heritage Day: Observed on Monday, October 10
- Veterans’ Day: Observed on Friday, November 11
- Thanksgiving: Observed on Thursday, November 24
- Rosa Parks Day: Observed on Thursday, December 1 (commemoration only)
- Christmas: Observed on Monday, December 26
For the full list of holidays observed in the State of Alabama, click here.
