** Miami Beach to Give City Employees Holiday on Monday ** ** Miami Beach city employees will have Monday off in observance of Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the day that enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their freedom. ** The holiday will be observed on Monday, June 20, 2023, and all city offices will be closed. “Juneteenth is a day to celebrate the freedom and resilience of African Americans,” said City Manager Jimmy Morales. “It is an important day for our community to come together and reflect on the progress that has been made, and the work that still needs to be done to achieve true equality.” Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, originated in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in the city and announced that the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued two years earlier, had finally freed all enslaved people in the United States. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas in 1866, and it gradually spread to other states. In 2021, Congress passed a bill making Juneteenth a national holiday. “Juneteenth is a day of celebration and remembrance,” said Mayor Dan Gelber. “It is a day to celebrate the freedom of African Americans and to remember the struggles that they have faced. It is also a day to recommit ourselves to the fight for equality and justice for all.” The City of Miami Beach is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The city offers a variety of programs and services to support its African American residents, including the African American Heritage Trail, the Black Business Directory, and the Black History Month Celebration. “Juneteenth is an important day for our city, and we are proud to celebrate it,” said Morales. “We hope that everyone in our community will take some time on Monday to reflect on the meaning of this holiday and to recommit themselves to the fight for equality and justice for all.”
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