5. MT, HI, NH, ND and SD Don’t Recognize Juneteenth
In the tumult of the Civil Rights Era, Juneteenth lost much of its prominence, seen as a relic of a bygone time. But it has been recently it has been revived. In 1980, Democratic State Legislature Al Edwards introduced legislation to make Juneteenth an official Texas holiday. Government offices do not close, but agencies may operate with reduced staff. By May 2016, 45 of 50 states and Washington, DC, recognized Juneteenth as either a state holiday or ceremonial holiday, a day of observance. Only Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, and North and South Dakota don’t recognize Juneteenth.
Kenneth C. Davis is the author of Don’t Know Much About History, Don’t Know Much About the Civil War, and In the Shadow of Liberty: The Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents and Five Black Lives. You can read more about his books and more about Juneteenth at his website dontknowmuch.com
For a broader discussion, check out Karen Hunter and Dr. Greg Carr, head of Africana Studies at Howard University:
