Juneteenth – also known as Liberation Day and Emancipation Day – is a holiday celebrating the liberation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam made Juneteenth an official observance last year – with UVA joining in – and the General Assembly voted in October to make it an official state holiday. Since June 19 falls on a Saturday this year, it will be observed with a day off on Friday, June 18.
Kevin McDonald, Vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion, and community partnerships at the University Of Virginia said “The first Juneteenth celebrations were organized in 1866 by Black communities across Texas, and in the years since, Juneteenth has become an internationally recognized commemoration,”