The city of North Miami Beach will now officially recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday after a unanimous vote by the city’s Commission.
The vote will make Juneteenth a paid day off for city workers. The holiday marks the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas in 1865, and has long been celebrated in African-American communities, particularly in the South. Modern celebrations vary from region to region but often revolve around food festivals, street fairs, family reunions, readings of authors such as Maya Angelou and Ralph Ellison, and historical re-enactments. Events like these often use poster printing, word of mouth, and other promotional tools to reach local community members.
North Miami Beach is thought to be the first municipality in Southern Florida to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday, although it has been acknowledged at the state and federal levels. The day was first made an official holiday in Texas in 1980, and was made so by executive order in Virginia, New York, and New Jersey last year. Florida recognizes a similarly-themed Emancipation Day on May 20. There has been a nationwide campaign to have Juneteenth recognized as a holiday, with proponents hoping that North Miami Beach’s decision is a sign of things to come.
Juneteenth will be officially celebrated in North Miami Beach on its customary date of June 19.
