06/15/2026
Juneteenth Observed this Friday
Reminder that City offices and facilities will be closed this Friday in recognition of Juneteenth. There will be no impact on the solid waste schedule.
The Juneteenth holiday celebrates the official end of slavery in this country, which took two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. The lengthy delay in some states' announcements regarding the end of slavery was caused by the fact that the Civil War still raging and communication was challenging.
Because of this, news and enforcement had been slow to reach the more remote slave states. The very last reading of the federal orders of emancipation occurred in Galveston, TX, on June 19, 1865, finally bringing freedom to all enslaved persons in the country.
Long celebrated as an unofficial holiday in Black communities, Juneteenth became an official U.S. federal holiday on June 17, 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.
The official Juneteenth flag (pictured) was created by activist Ben Haith in 1997. Three years later, illustrator Lisa Jeanne Graf helped refine the design into its current look, which is rife with symbolism.
The White Star - It honors Texas (the Lone Star State) where Major General Gordon Granger delivered the news of freedom in Galveston. The star also asserts that Black Americans are free in all 50 states.
The Starburst - Inspired by a nova (a "new star") the star represents a fresh beginning for African Americans.
The Curved Arc - This forms the boundary between the red and blue fields, symbolizing a new horizon filled with hope and progress.
The Colors - Using Red, White, and Blue deliberately mirrors the colors of the American flag to serve as a reminder that enslaved people and their descendants were, and always have been, Americans.
(Reprinted from the City of Bartow, Laurie Hayes, Director of Communications. Thanks!)
