On Thursday, the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to make Juneteenth a paid holiday in Hamilton County.
Starting June 19, 2021, all county employees will have a paid day off.
"I can't think of a more worthy holiday to have," said Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas before Thursday's vote.
The resolution, introduced by Commissioner Victoria Parks on Tuesday, "recognizes the significance of Juneteenth to our country, county and community," she said.
‘I can’t think of a more worthy holiday’: Juneteenth is now a paid day off in Hamilton County pic.twitter.com/iKhk9Mjmnc
— Victoria Parks for Cincinnati (@Victoria4Cincy) September 25, 2020
The roots of Juneteenth stretch back to 1865, when a Union General came to Galveston, Texas to reissue President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all enslaved peoples in America. The day — June 19 — was called Juneteenth and has been ever since.
During Tuesday's meeting, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center's Christopher Miller was invited to provide information about the historical context and significance of Juneteenth.
"Juneteenth represents the end of chattel slavery in America. It serves as a historical milestone reminding Americans of the triumph of the human spirit over the systemic injustice of enslavement," he said. "Juneteenth honors those ancestors who endured the institution of slavery as well as demonstrating pride in the great legacy of courage, resistance and perseverance — a legacy they left behind for us."
This year marked the first year the City of Cincinnati raised a flag commemorating the holiday, and Lydia Morgan, coordinator of Cincinnati's Juneteenth Festival told WCPO, "We're having a revolution in this country right now. I think more people are paying attention to the things that have been left out and the people who have been left out. The commissioners didn't just give the holiday to their African-American employees, they gave it to every employee because everyone should be celebrating it."
The addition of Juneteenth makes 11 paid holidays for Hamilton County, compared to 10 in nearby Clermont and Butler counties,12 in Montgomery County and 14 in Lucas County.
