Milwaukee City Wire

Cavalier Johnson, mayor of Milwaukee, revealed that the city formally recognizes Juneteenth as an official holiday.

"Milwaukee is formally joining dozens of states and the federal government declaring June 19th an official holiday," Johnson said in a Twitter post. "Juneteenth day marks the end of slavery in the United States, and it is a fitting day to celebrate, to reflect on the past, and [to] consider the future."

Juneteenth is celebrated each June 19 to highlight the end of slavery, according to WDJT/CBS58. Johnson signed a Common Council file to make it an official city holiday. City offices will be closed on that date each year and all city employees will have a paid day off.

The mayor follows in the footsteps of President Joe Biden, who earlier this year recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, WDJT reported. It was the first national holiday created since 1983 when Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created.

The city had a history of celebrating Juneteenth before it officially became a holiday, according to VisitMilwaukee.org. 2022 was the 51st year the city celebrated the occasion. Some residents claimed that Milwaukee is home to the longest-running annual celebration of the holiday in the country.

The day is intended to bring voices together to "look toward a progressive future" as the past is recognized, the website noted.

"It's a time to be thoughtful, not just about the past, but also about the future," Johnson said.