Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has approved Juneteenth as a state holiday for state workers, aligning with the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. This is the fourth consecutive year that Ivey has designated Juneteenth as a state holiday since it became a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth celebrates the day on June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom after the end of the Civil War and 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
Despite Ivey’s authorization of Juneteenth as a state holiday, legislative attempts to make it a permanent holiday in Alabama have faced challenges. State lawmakers would need to take action to permanently establish Juneteenth as a state holiday. Previous efforts to either establish Juneteenth or make changes to the state’s Confederate-related holidays have not been successful. A recent bill proposed in the state legislature would have made Juneteenth a permanent holiday and allowed state employees to choose between observing that day or Jefferson Davis’ birthday.
Alabama currently recognizes three Confederate-related state holidays that close state offices. These holidays include Confederate Memorial Day in April, Jefferson Davis’ birthday in June, and a joint observance of Robert E. Lee Day with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January. While the bill introducing Juneteenth as a permanent state holiday passed in the state House of Representatives, it did not receive a vote in the Alabama Senate, indicating challenges in making Juneteenth a permanent state holiday. Overall, efforts to establish Juneteenth as a recognized state holiday in Alabama face opposition and obstacles in the state legislature. Governor Ivey’s approval of Juneteenth as a state holiday for state workers reflects a significant step in recognizing and observing the historical significance of the end of slavery in the United States.
