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Celebrating Juneteenth: State and city offices close for historic holiday, commemorations planned

By Charles Boothe, Bluefield Daily Telegraph

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — City and state offices will be closed today in observance of Juneteenth (June 19) and local events to commemorate the historic day are set for Saturday.

Pres. Joe Biden signed legislation into law on Thursday making Juneteenth a federal holiday and Gov. Jim Justice then announced the closing of all state offices today in recognition of the day. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam also proclaimed the day a state holiday.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved African-Americans in Texas were finally informed they were free as Union soldiers delivered the news the Civil War was over.

That day officially ended slavery in this country.

Since it falls on Saturday this year, Friday is the designated holiday…

To read more: https://www.bdtonline.com/news/celebrating-juneteenth-state-and-city-offices-close-for-historic-holiday-commemorations-planned/article_8682db5a-cfd1-11eb-a02c-ff277a39a864.html

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