This is how the Chiefs plan to commemorate Juneteenth as a holiday
The Chiefs will be closing their offices on Friday as the team plans to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.
Juneteenth, which is a combination of June and nineteenth, dates to June 19, 1865 when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the Civil War had ended and slaves had been freed. It was considered the last state to get the news of the end of slavery.
Only three states don’t recognize Juneteenth as a holiday (Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota, per CNN), but there is a move afoot to make it a national holiday.
The Chiefs shared their vision for celebrating Juneteenth in a Twitter statement.
“As our community and the country work toward a future without racial inequality and the injustices that have remained engrained in our society for far too long, the Kansas City Chiefs will recognize Juneteenth on Friday, June 19th as a holiday,” the Chiefs said in the statement. “During this time, the club’s offices will be closed and we encourage our staff to examine how each of us and our organization can work towards a better future together.”
On Friday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a letter to all 32 teams and said the league will recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.
“It is a day to reflect on our past, but most importantly, consider how each one of us can continue to show up and band together to work toward a better future,” Goodell said in the letter.
