As at least four demonstrations were planned around town in conjunction with Juneteenth, Mayor Justin Elicker and Board of Alders Tyisha Walker-Myers announced that it will become an official city holiday.
“Moving forward, City of New Haven Employees will have June 19th as a day off from work should their duties not be needed on this day,” they announced in a press release issued Friday afternoon.
“On June 19, 1865, African slaves in Texas were freed two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and it is vital that New Haven formally observe this day for its historical significance in American history.”
The release quoted Elicker and Myers-Walker saying: “Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, yet there is much work to do in the United States. The City of New Haven first recognized Juneteenth in 2013, and it is crucial that we continue this tradition of celebrating freedom. However, the fight for freedom continues today. It is critical that we observe this day for all those that have sacrificed everything to ensure justice in our community, to educate our neighbors and loved ones about African-American history, and to join this national calling for racial equality in the United States. We urge you, Governor Ned Lamont and the State Assembly, to formally declare Juneteenth as a State Holiday in Connecticut and join us in this continued fight for freedom. Let Juneteenth 2020 be one we will remember: one that pushed us to act and organize against the unequal society we still live in, one that made us closer as a community, and one that created the change we all want to see in this world.”