Juneteenth falls on a Friday this year, giving many Americans a three-day weekend in the middle of summer.
Celebrated annually on June 19, it marks the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved people that they were free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
The day has long been celebrated by Black Americans and became a federal holiday in 2021 when then-President Joe Biden signed legislation establishing Juneteenth National Independence Day.
Today, Juneteenth is often described as America’s “second Independence Day” and is marked with community events, parades, educational programs, concerts, and celebrations of Black history and culture. While the holiday commemorates freedom, it is also a time to reflect on the legacy of slavery and the ongoing pursuit of racial equality in the United States.
Still, it is up to individual employers to decide whether they offer time off or additional pay for work on federal holidays.
Find the full list of 2026 federal holidays below:
New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Monday, January 19
Presidents’ Day: Monday, February 16
Memorial Day: Monday, May 25
Juneteenth National Independence Day: Friday, June 19
Independence Day: Saturday, July 4
Labor Day: Monday, September 7
Indigenous Peoples’ Day (also observed as Columbus Day): Monday, October 12
Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11
Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 26
Christmas Day: Friday, December 25
Other important days to note:
Valentine’s Day: Saturday, February 14
St. Patrick’s Day: Tuesday, March 17
April Fools’ Day: Wednesday, April 1
First Day of Passover: Wednesday, April 1
Good Friday: Friday, April 3
Easter: Sunday, April 5
Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 10
Father’s Day: Sunday, June 21
Halloween: Saturday, October 31
First Day of Hannukkah: Friday, December 4
Christmas Eve: Thursday, December 24
New Year’s Eve: Thursday, December 31
