Jun 18, 2026 - News
Where Juneteenth is recognized as a holiday
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
At least 33 states and D.C. will give most state government workers a paid day off Friday for Juneteenth this year, according to the Pew Research Center.
Why it matters: States differ considerably on how to mark the day when enslaved Black people in Galveston learned they were free.
Catch up quick: Texas made Juneteenth a permanent holiday in 1980, but most other states didn't act until 2020 or later.
- Juneteenth was signed into law as a federal holiday in 2021.