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The newest federal holiday, Juneteenth National Independence Day on June 19, celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. But states vary considerably in whether they commemorate it as a legal holiday, a day of observance or something in between.
This year, administrative calendars show that at least 33 states and the District of Columbia will mark Juneteenth with a paid day off for most state government workers.
Where do state workers have a paid day off for Juneteenth?
States where Juneteenth is a holiday for most state government workers, as of June 2026
Note: Designations shown may not align with Juneteenth’s status as a permanent legal holiday in each state (for instance, it is not a permanent legal holiday in New Mexico but will still be a day off for most state employees). In Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, the holiday affects state executive branch employees only. Personal leave policies in California and North Carolina allow eligible workers to take Juneteenth off as a floating holiday.
Source: State administrative and personnel websites.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Where do state workers have a paid day off for Juneteenth?
States where Juneteenth is a holiday for most state government workers, as of June 2026
| State | FIPS | Paid day off 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 01 | Yes |
| Alaska | 02 | Yes |
| Arizona | 04 | No |
| Arkansas | 05 | No |
| California | 06 | No |
| Colorado | 08 | Yes |
| Connecticut | 09 | Yes |
| Delaware | 10 | Yes |
| District of Columbia | 11 | Yes |
| Florida | 12 | No |
| Georgia | 13 | Yes |
| Hawaii | 15 | No |
| Idaho | 16 | Yes |
| Illinois | 17 | Yes |
| Indiana | 18 | No |
| Iowa | 19 | No |
| Kansas | 20 | Yes |
| Kentucky | 21 | Yes |
| Louisiana | 22 | Yes |
| Maine | 23 | Yes |
| Maryland | 24 | Yes |
| Massachusetts | 25 | Yes |
| Michigan | 26 | Yes |
| Minnesota | 27 | Yes |
| Mississippi | 28 | No |
| Missouri | 29 | Yes |
| Montana | 30 | No |
| Nebraska | 31 | Yes |
| Nevada | 32 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | 33 | No |
| New Jersey | 34 | Yes |
| New Mexico | 35 | Yes |
| New York | 36 | Yes |
| North Carolina | 37 | No |
| North Dakota | 38 | No |
| Ohio | 39 | Yes |
| Oklahoma | 40 | No |
| Oregon | 41 | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | 42 | Yes |
| Rhode Island | 44 | Yes |
| South Carolina | 45 | No |
| South Dakota | 46 | Yes |
| Tennessee | 47 | Yes |
| Texas | 48 | Yes |
| Utah | 49 | Yes |
| Vermont | 50 | Yes |
| Virginia | 51 | Yes |
| Washington | 53 | Yes |
| West Virginia | 54 | No |
| Wisconsin | 55 | No |
| Wyoming | 56 | No |
Note: Designations shown may not align with Juneteenth’s status as a permanent legal holiday in each state (for instance, it is not a permanent legal holiday in New Mexico but will still be a day off for most state employees). In Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, the holiday affects state executive branch employees only. Personal leave policies in California and North Carolina allow eligible workers to take Juneteenth off as a floating holiday.
Source: State administrative and personnel websites.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
In the vast majority of these states (30 plus D.C.), Juneteenth is a permanent holiday by law and commemorated annually, according to records compiled by the Congressional Research Service.
- Alabama joined this list most recently, adopting Juneteenth as a permanent holiday in 2025. Alaska and Vermont made Juneteenth a permanent holiday in 2024 and officially added it to their calendars for the first time last year.
In three other states, Juneteenth is not a permanent legal holiday but will still be a paid day off for most state workers. It could become a permanent holiday in these states if their legislators pass a bill to make it so.
- The state personnel board of New Mexico has approved Juneteenth as a paid day off annually since 2022.
- The governors of Kansas and Kentucky declared Juneteenth an annual state holiday for executive branch employees in 2023 and 2024, respectively. But because these directives do not have the backing of permanent law, they could potentially be undone by future governors.
In California, state employees can choose to take Juneteenth off in lieu of a personal holiday. And some in North Carolina are eligible for paid personal leave on a day of “cultural or religious importance,” which they can apply to Juneteenth.
State employees in West Virginia will also get June 19 off this year – but in observance of West Virginia Day, not Juneteenth. From 2021 to 2024, former West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice authorized Juneteenth as a state holiday via an annual proclamation, but current Gov. Patrick Morrisey chose not to follow suit after taking office in 2025.
History of Juneteenth and nationwide recognition
Juneteenth is a combination of the words June and nineteenth. It commemorates the day more than two months after the end of the Civil War – and more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation – when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their freedom.
Most states where Juneteenth is a permanent legal holiday gave it that status in 2020 or later. The exception is Texas, where the holiday originated and where it is also known as Emancipation Day. Juneteenth has been celebrated locally in Texas since the 1860s and became a permanent holiday there in 1980.
Public awareness of Juneteenth grew in 2020 amid nationwide protests after the police killings of several Black Americans, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Former President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan bill that made Juneteenth a federal holiday in June 2021.
Related: Which countries have the most – and fewest – public holidays?
Most states where Juneteenth is a permanent legal holiday made it one in 2020 or later
Year Juneteenth was adopted as an observance or a permanent/legal holiday
Note: Data as of June 2026. The year legislation was adopted does not necessarily correspond to the year Juneteenth was first observed as a legal holiday. In California, Juneteenth has been a legal holiday since 2022 but is not an automatic paid day off for state government employees; eligible workers may choose to take that day off in lieu of a personal holiday. Juneteenth is not a permanent legal holiday in New Mexico, Kansas or Kentucky, but it has been a paid day off for most state employees since 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Source: Congressional Research Service.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Most states where Juneteenth is a permanent legal holiday made it one in 2020 or later
Year Juneteenth was adopted as an observance or a permanent/legal holiday
| State | Observance created | Permanent/legal holiday created |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2011 | 2025 |
| Alaska | 2001 | 2024 |
| Arizona | 2016 | |
| Arkansas | 2005 | |
| California | 2003 | 2022 |
| Colorado | 2004 | 2022 |
| Connecticut | 2003 | 2022 |
| DC | 2003 | 2021 |
| Delaware | 2000 | 2021 |
| Florida | 1991 | |
| Georgia | 2011 | 2022 |
| Hawaii | 2021 | |
| Idaho | 2001 | 2021 |
| Illinois | 2003 | 2021 |
| Indiana | 2010 | |
| Iowa | 2002 | |
| Kansas | 2007 | |
| Kentucky | 2005 | |
| Louisiana | 2003 | 2021 |
| Maine | 2011 | 2022 |
| Maryland | 2014 | 2022 |
| Massachusetts | 2007 | 2021 |
| Michigan | 2005 | 2023 |
| Minnesota | 1996 | 2023 |
| Mississippi | 2010 | |
| Missouri | 2003 | 2022 |
| Montana | 2017 | |
| Nebraska | 2009 | 2022 |
| Nevada | 2011 | 2023 |
| New Hampshire | 2019 | |
| New Jersey | 2004 | 2021 |
| New Mexico | 2006 | |
| New York | 2004 | 2021 |
| North Carolina | 2007 | |
| North Dakota | 2021 | |
| Ohio | 2006 | 2021 |
| Oklahoma | 1994 | |
| Oregon | 2001 | 2021 |
| Pennsylvania | 2019 | |
| Rhode Island | 2012 | 2023 |
| South Carolina | 2008 | |
| South Dakota | 2022 | 2022 |
| Tennessee | 2007 | 2023 |
| Texas | 1980 | 1980 |
| Utah | 2016 | 2022 |
| Vermont | 2007 | 2024 |
| Virginia | 2007 | 2020 |
| Washington | 2007 | 2022 |
| West Virginia | 2008 | |
| Wisconsin | 2009 | |
| Wyoming | 2003 |
Note: Data as of June 2026. The year legislation was adopted does not necessarily correspond to the year Juneteenth was first observed as a legal holiday. In California, Juneteenth has been a legal holiday since 2022 but is not an automatic paid day off for state government employees; eligible workers may choose to take that day off in lieu of a personal holiday. Juneteenth is not a permanent legal holiday in New Mexico, Kansas or Kentucky, but it has been a paid day off for most state employees since 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Source: Congressional Research Service.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
All 50 states officially recognize Juneteenth as either a legal holiday or an observance – that is, a day of public awareness that isn’t accompanied by a paid day off. Florida, Oklahoma and Minnesota were the first states outside Texas to commemorate Juneteenth as an official observance in the 1990s. (Minnesota went on to make it a permanent holiday in 2023.)
Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota were the last states to give Juneteenth formal recognition of any kind. Hawaii and North Dakota made it an observance in 2021, and South Dakota adopted it as a permanent holiday in 2022.
Several states where Juneteenth is an observance only, including Arkansas, Iowa and Montana, affix it to the third Saturday in June instead.
Federal holiday closures
Juneteenth is one of 11 annual federal holidays, on which federal workers get a paid day off and there’s no mail delivery. Most federal offices are closed on these holidays.
The country’s major stock exchanges and bond markets are also closed on many federal holidays, including Juneteenth, as are some major national banks. Most stores, supermarkets and other businesses remain open, though this varies by occasion.
Note: This is an update of a post originally published June 17, 2022.
