South Brunswick Schools Closed Friday In Honor Of Juneteenth

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Public schools in South Brunswick will be closed on Friday to mark Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is a new federal holiday commemorating the end of Slavery in the United States. It is also a state holiday in a number of states, including New Jersey.

Superintendent Scott Feder reminded the community of the upcoming holiday during Thursday's Board of Education meeting. He said many community members still had questions about whether the holiday should be celebrated Friday or Monday.

Some school districts in New Jersey opted for Friday as a holiday, while others chose Monday.

"We are looking into this for next year to try to align with the federal version - it's either going to be Friday or Monday," Feder said.

On Sept. 10, 2020 Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law adding Juneteenth to the list of state holidays. The holiday will be observed on the third Friday in June, which is what the school district is following.

Last year, President Joe Biden signed a bill recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. "June 19th, 1865 a major general of the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved Americans in Texas from bondage," Biden explained.

The school calendar can be found here.