When it comes to the majority of public holidays in the USA, people have a good idea of what public services are going to be open or closed. But, it's not quite so clear what will or won't be open on Juneteenth.
This Monday, June 19, is Juneteenth for 2023, and this is the nation's newest public holiday.
What is Juneteenth?
Also known as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth remembers when the federal troops arrived at Galveston, Texas, and took control of the state, freeing enslaved people.
The holiday named Juneteenth celebrates the arrival of the federal troops on June 19, 1865, and the name is an abbreviation of June 19 (June-teenth).
It may sound surprising that it took as long as it did, but the holiday was only officially recognised by president Joe Biden in 2021, with the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.
The idea of Juneteenth becoming a holiday came to prominence in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd's and Breonna Taylor's deaths.
What is open and what is closed on Juneteenth?
Despite the clear importance of what Juneteenth represents, it is very easy for the population not to take a new public holiday very seriously. Many may assume that life will go on as normal.
That is not the case, though, as non-essential federal, state and city government offices will be closed.
Many public and private schools are also going to be closed for Juneteenth, but parents are encouraged to check the specific school calendar of their child's school.
Almost all of the banks in the USA are also going to be closed on Juneteenth, along with post offices and the US Postal Service will not be delivering mail or packages. However, UPS and Fedex are expected to continue working though this Juneteenth.
As for garbage collection on Juneteenth, most cities and states are reducing this too.
Meanwhile, most grocery stores are expected to be open this Juneteenth.
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