Juneteenth could become Utah’s newest state holiday

By BRIDGER BEAL-CVETKO
The Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Juneteenth could soon be designated a state holiday in Utah, thanks to a bill passed by the House. The Deseret News reports holiday would celebrate June 19, 1865, the day that federal troops freed the remainder of the enslaved population in Galveston, Texas — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. Sponsor Rep. Sandra Hollins says Juneteenth is considered a second Independence Day that has been celebrated for over 156 years. Juneteenth National Independence Day was established as a federal holiday last year. Some Utah lawmakers said the holiday is a chance to celebrate the nation moving closer to its aspirations of equality.