Auburn closing to observe Juneteenth

Auburn University will close on Wednesday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth, which is considered an official holiday for AU employees.

Juneteenth acknowledges the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce that all enslaved people be freed. This historic event occurred 2 1/2 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and is now the nation’s oldest known tradition honoring the end of slavery and commemorating Black freedom.

In 1980, Texas became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.