Minneapolis Officials Asking For Public Comments On Proposed Juneteenth City Holiday

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The City of Minneapolis is encouraging public comments on a proposal that will make Juneteenth a new city holiday.

If approved, Juneteenth would become the first holiday added to the city's calendar since Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a city holiday in 1986.

Juneteenth is observed on June 19 and commemorates the day in 1865 when the last of enslaved people in the United States received news of their freedom and rights under the law, which was signed into law two and a half years earlier with the Emancipation Proclamation.

"This is a huge step forward for our city, for the African American employees of the city," said councilmember Andrea Jenkins, during a virtual meeting late last month. "I'm just really proud that our city is considering this and bringing this issue forward."

Public comments will happen during a public hearing on May 12 at 1:30 p.m., which will be broadcast on the city's website and YouTube channel.

Click here to learn how to participate in the hearing.