West Virginia 

CHARLESTON, W.Va.  — Gov. Jim Justice issued a proclamation on Friday that officially declares Juneteenth 2024 as a West Virginia State holiday.

Juneteenth is recognized on June 19 each year and celebrates the ending of slavery in the United States. The day will be observed on Wednesday, June 19 as a full-day holiday for all public employees in West Virginia.

Juneteenth has already been a federal holiday since 2021 when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. The holiday comes from the same day in 1865 when news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached Texas after being issued by President Abraham Lincoln six months earlier on New Years Day.