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The 49ers are joining the NFL and a host of other franchises in recognizing Juneteenth as an organizational holiday. First reported by The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, KNBR has confirmed per a team source that the 49ers will give employees the day off in recognition of the holiday.
Hearing that the #49ers sent out an internal memo on Monday informing employees that Juneteenth will be an organizational holiday.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) June 17, 2020
There are 47 states which recognize the holiday, and the 49ers are following at least the NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, who have all announced they will recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday.
What is Juneteenth? Celebrated on June 19th, it recognizes the end of slavery, which came nearly two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Major General Gordon Granger of the Union, on June 19th, 1865, submitted an executive order in Galveston, Texas announcing that all slaves were free, following the surrender of confederate general Robert E. Lee in April of that year.
Juneteenth is not yet recognized as a national holiday.