Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant Issues Proclamation Recognizing Juneteenth

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant issued a proclamation today recognizing June 19 as Juneteenth Day of Observance in Will County.

“Will County is proud to celebrate Juneteenth and the history of emancipation in the United States,” said Bertino-Tarrant. “Recognizing this important holiday offers an opportunity for all of us to reflect on our history and commit to work together in becoming a more tolerant society.”

In an Executive Proclamation issued on Friday, June 16, County Executive Bertino-Tarrant called on residents to “celebrate the emancipation of Black Americans and to condemn the history of slavery in the United States of America.”

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger’s proclamation ordered the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. Juneteenth has grown to become the oldest nationally-celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States of America.

Juneteenth is a recognized county holiday for Will County government. All county buildings will be closed on the holiday, with the exception of essential county services and public safety operations.

Read the full proclamation at www.WillCountyIllinois.com.