NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Eric Adams officially designated Juneteenth as a paid city holiday, City Hall announced Monday, saying it will take effect this year.
In a statement, Adams said, “As the second Black mayor of New York City, I know that I stand on the shoulders of countless heroes and sheroes who put their lives on the line to secure a more perfect union. Now is the time for me to do a small part and recognize one of our nation’s greatest wrongs.”
The mayor continued: “Juneteenth is a time for reflection, assessment, and self-improvement. People across the country of all races, nationalities, and religions unite on this day to truthfully acknowledge the stain of slavery and celebrate the countless contributions of Black Americans. It’s time for our city to finally do what’s right and officially designate Juneteenth as a city holiday. This decision is long overdue, which is why it will immediately take effect this year.”
“Holding a mirror to our nation’s past atrocities is never easy, but it is necessary,” Adams said.
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865, two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, that enslaved Black people in Texas were told by Union soldiers that they had been freed.
New York City municipal workers did not get a paid Juneteenth holiday in 2021, despite a pledge from former Mayor Bill de Blasio to make it one the year before.
Juneteenth, which falls on a Sunday this year, became an official paid holiday for New York state workers in October 2020. It was officially designated a federal holiday on June 17, 2021 by President Joe Biden.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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