PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced Tuesday that Juneteenth — which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States — has been designated an official city holiday.
Kenney said city offices and facilities will be closed Friday, June 19 to observe the holiday.
"The only way to dismantle the institutional racism and inequalities that continue to disenfranchise Black Philadelphians is to look critically at how we got here, and make much-needed changes to the governmental systems that allow inequality to persist," Kenney said in the statement.
Juneteenth is an official City holiday.This is one small but meaningful step toward repairing the damages inflicted on Black Americans throughout our country's history. #BlackLivesMatterhttps://t.co/PvLeJFWrTc
— Jim Kenney (@PhillyMayor) June 17, 2020The designation comes from an executive order signed by the mayor, and it makes Juneteenth a city holiday this year.
But to make it permanent, more steps need to be taken, including Council legislation.
