Minneapolis City Council makes Juneteenth a city holiday

Juneteenth will now officially be a city holiday in Minneapolis.

The Minneapolis City Council approved the move on Friday.

Observed on June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in the country learned of their freedom and human rights given by law.

"Today the council recognizes the significant value that our African American employees bring to the City of Minneapolis," said City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins, who sponsored the measure. "We join Hennepin County and so many other jurisdictions throughout the county in acknowledging this stain in American history. This is an important step in recognizing the reach of the hideous system of slavery within American history and the impacts that continue to show up today."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is expected to sign the measure on Monday.

"Creating a truly more inclusive workplace won’t happen through any single action, but establishing Juneteenth as a permanent, official City holiday is a step in the right direction and an important acknowledgment of our history and African American experiences," Frey said. "I am grateful for the leadership of the Minneapolis Black Employee Network (MBEN) and the work done by our team to lead the charge and make this change happen."

"Juneteenth is a time to uplift the liberation of American people, Black American descendants of slavery, a holiday we should all honor and recognize," Jenkins added. "I hope the City of Minneapolis will lead as an example for other organizations to establish Juneteenth as a holiday and embed discussion about its origins into a culture that promotes inclusion and anti-racism. Thank you to my colleagues for their unanimous support."

This year, June 19 falls on a Saturday, so the city’s holiday observance will be one day earlier.

Juneteenth gained more widespread recognition last year around the country as the Black Lives Matter movement grew in prominence.

Gov. Tim Walz proclaimed June 19 as Freedom Day last year and called on the Legislature to make Juneteenth a state holiday. Several corporations, such as Best Buy, U.S. Bank and Target, started recognizing Juneteenth as a company holiday in 2020.