What Is Juneteenth And Why Are Companies Making It A Paid Holiday?

Juneteenth is the oldest celebration of the end of slavery in the US the day is celebrated every June 19 and commemorates the day when union leader, Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that “the enslaved are now free” in 1865. Celebrations are typically held outdoors and include parades, BBQs and Miss Juneteenth contests. Major companies, such as Nike, Postmates and Twitter, have added Juneteenth to their list of paid holidays in order to commemorate and celebrate Black history and culture. Music Credit: 'Eagle Rap' by Bobby Cole