Juneteenth becomes an official holiday in NY

In this photo taken May 29, 2017, the Texas African American History Memorial stands on the grounds of the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas. The monument, made of bronze and granite and erected in 2016, traces the history of African-Americans in Texas from the 1500's to the present. The central portion of the memorial, by sculptor Ed Dwight, depicts Juneteenth in Texas, which commemorates the date of June 19, 1865, the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery. Sculptor Ed Dwight created the memorial. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday signed legislation officially making Juneteenth, a day commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States, a New York state holiday.

“This new public holiday will serve as a day to recognize the achievements of the Black community, while also providing an important opportunity for self-reflection on the systemic injustices that our society still faces today,” said Cuomo in a statement.

The Democrat had used an executive order to make Juneteenth a paid holiday for state employees this year. The state Legislature had passed a bill in July to make it a state holiday.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. But not everyone heard about it right away. It wasn’t until June 19th, 1865, that enslaved people in Galveston, found out about it from Union army personnel, making them among the last to know about their freedom.