Manassas Recognizes Juneteenth As City Holiday On Friday

MANASSAS, VA — The city of Manassas has declared Juneteenth a local holiday and will observe it on Friday, June 19. Manassas' government offices will be closed for the holiday, except for the city fire and rescue and police departments. The city's voter registration office also will remain open on Friday.

The Manassas City Council declared Juneteenth a holiday in honor of the 1865 declaration by Union General Gordan Granger that the enslaved people of Texas had been freed. Juneteenth came two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation to free all slaves.

On Tuesday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said he will give every executive branch employee this Friday off as a paid holiday and will work with the state legislature to pass a law making Juneteenth an official state holiday.

Outdoor parks in Manassas will remain open to the public on Friday, the city said.

Other jurisdictions in Virginia, including Fairfax County, Loudoun County and the city of Fredericksburg, also have closed their administrative offices on Friday in honor of Juneteenth.