Luisa Vieira
Juneteenth, now a federal holiday in the US, celebrates the end of slavery. But as everything is now political in America, at the state level, observation varies largely (but not entirely) along ideological lines. The issue has also been wrapped up in the ensuing culture wars over how to memorialize ugly parts of American history.
Still, there are some surprises. Texas, for instance, was the first state in the country to make Juneteenth a state holiday way back in 1980. Meanwhile, in deep-blue California, state employees can choose to take it off but only if they trade in a personal day.
We take a look at which states recognize Juneteenth as a holiday for state employees, and which don’t.