Governor Supports Making Juneteenth An Official State Holiday

SPRINGFIELD — Today, Governor JB Pritzker issued a proclamation honoring June 19, 2020, as Juneteenth in the state of Illinois. All flags in the state are flying at half-staff in recognition and Illinoisans are urged to reflect on our history, our future and the actions we can take to build a more equitable nation. The Governor will work with the General Assembly to pass a law commemorating Juneteenth as an official state holiday for years to come.

“This Juneteenth comes as hundreds of thousands of protestors across the nation and across Illinois, from Rockford to East St. Louis to Chicago to Springfield to Champaign to Anna and dozens of towns in between, have taken to the streets to call for justice and change – and through protest and policy, we’re going to make that change. From genuine criminal justice reform to a fundamentally reimagined vision of policing to sustained investment in Black communities, we will build an Illinois that prioritizes justice, equity and opportunity for all our people,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I encourage all Illinoisans to take today to reflect on our history, our future and the actions we can take, individually and collectively as a state, to truly build ourselves into the equitable nation of our ideals – a land of freedom and opportunity for all.”

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