William Floyd schools will not hold classes on Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth. This day marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger and Union Army troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. This proclamation was initially issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declaring all enslaved people free.
The historical significance of this date is profound as it represents the moment when the last enslaved Black Americans were freed. In October 2020, Juneteenth was recognized as an official holiday in New York State and later became a federal holiday in June 2021.
