Governor Pritzker Signs Juneteenth State Holiday Into Law
June 17, 2021 5:17AM CDT
Juneteenth is now an official state holiday in Illinois. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill yesterday recognizing June 19th as National Freedom Day in the state. Pritzker says the law will ensure that children grow up learning about the importance of the holiday in schools. Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when union soldiers told slaves in Galveston, Texas that they had been freed.