This year, Fermilab will observe Juneteenth, the federal holiday on June 19 that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and celebrates Black freedom and culture.
Juneteenth marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when Union Army general Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom for enslaved people in Texas, the last state of the Confederacy with institutional slavery. President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law last year, making it a federal holiday.
The Juneteenth flag. Rich with symbolism, the Juneteenth flag serves as a reminder that slaves and their descendants were and are Americans.
As a reminder, Fermilab is closed on Monday, June 20, for the holiday observance. The lab resumes regular working hours on Tuesday, June 21.