The Athens-Clarke County government has formally declared Juneteenth a local holiday and recognized June as LGBTQ Pride Month.
The ACC commission took both steps at its June 7 meeting, passing two resolutions in support of Juneteenth and Pride Month, as well as legislation declaring Juneteenth a local holiday. The Juneteenth measures passed unanimously. Commissioner Ovita Thornton voted against Pride Month.
The Juneteenth flag was raised over City Hall on Friday, replacing the Pride flag, which will go back up next week through the end of the month.
June 19, 1865 is the date when word reached Black residents of Galveston, TX—the last Confederate holdout—that the Civil War had ended, and they were free. President Joe Biden declared it a federal holiday last year.
This year, because June 19 falls on a Sunday, Juneteenth will be observed on Monday. Athens Transit buses will not run, residential trash pickup will be delayed until Tuesday and the ACC library will be closed, as will many courthouse offices, although previously scheduled courtroom activities will go on.
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