Mark your calendars. Juneteenth is on a Wednesday this year.
ByABC Digital Editors and Ramishah Maruf, CNN, CNNWire
Red, white and blue are the colors of the American flag, but they also grace the face of another quintessential American banner: the official Juneteenth flag.
More employers than ever are observing Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.
As of last year, almost 40% of US employers now provide Juneteenth as a paid holiday, a significant increase from just 9% two years ago, according to data from HR consulting firm Mercer.
Juneteenth will be observed on June 19, a Wednesday this year. It became a federal holiday in 2021, after President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.
On June 19, 1865, Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger told enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, that they had been liberated - nearly three years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery in the US. Communities throughout the United States have long celebrated the holiday, honoring Black culture.
Here is what's open and closed on Juneteenth 2024:
Postal services
The United States Post Office will be closed and will not deliver mail on Wednesday.
However, UPS locations will be open and pickup and delivery services will be available. FedEx will also be operating as normal.
VIDEO: How people came to celebrate Juneteenth in the United States
Learn more about the history of Juneteenth and what it represents for the descendants of enslaved people and others in the United States.
Financial services
Juneteenth is a banking holiday observed by the Federal Reserve. That means most major banks like Bank of America, TD Bank, Chase and Wells Fargo will be closed.
As always, online banking services and ATMs will be available for use.
Wall Street
The stock market will be closed on Juneteenth.
Schools and government agencies
Federal offices and schools will also be closed on Juneteenth.
However, whether government or state employees in different places get a paid day off varies. As of last year, at least 28 states will recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday for which state workers will receive a paid day off, according to a Pew Research analysis.
Retailers
Most major retailers and grocery stores will be open on Juneteenth. Walmart and Target, for example, will be open normal hours. It's best to check if your local businesses and restaurants are also operating during normal hours for the holiday.
This article was originally published in 2022 and has been updated.
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