City of Rockville Unanimously Votes to Officially Recognize Juneteenth as a Holiday

Rockville’s City Council voted unanimously on Monday to recognize Juneteenth as a citywide holiday. Juneteenth is a commemoration of the Union army arriving in Texas to emancipate slaves on June 19, 1865.

The resolution approved by the Council and Mayor says that “the City will mark this date with special events and celebrations to encourage Rockville staff and community to learn and share stories, recognize and commemorate the end of slavery in the United States, elevate and celebrate African American history and contributions, and take action to actively promote equity.”

Rockville’s Mayor and Council Declare Juneteenth a City Holiday https://t.co/4vdWPCPl9w #MyRockville #rkv

— City of Rockville (@Rockville411) July 21, 2020

There has been a push across the country to recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday, with a bipartisan group of Senators introducing legislation last month that would also form a commission to encourage appropriate nationwide celebrations. At Monday’s meeting, Rockville’s City Council also agreed to “design a strategy for community dialogue and future actions surrounding the issues of equality.”

About Alex Argiris

Alex Argiris is a rising junior studying journalism at the University of Maryland. He is a news intern for Montgomery Community Media. He can be reached at aargiris@mymcmedia.org. Follow him on twitter at @argiris_alex

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