In an interesting twist on Juneteenth – the new holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. – New Jersey will be observing the holiday on Friday, while the federal government will observe it on Monday. Here’s why and what it means for you.
Because Juneteenth is being celebrated by the state on Friday, all state offices, including courts, the MVC, and other state offices, will be closed tomorrow. Monday will be a normal day of the state government, but there won’t be mail or other federal services and offices available, because that’s when the federal government is observing Juneteenth.
The reason this is happening is because New Jersey made Juneteenth a state holiday before the U.S. government made it a federal holiday. New Jersey legislators set a fixed day to observe Juneteenth each year – the third Friday in June.
On the other hand, the federal government set a specific date – June 19 – as the day to observe the holiday, unless that date falls out on a weekend. This year, June 19 falls out on a weekend, so it’s being celebrated on Monday.
There is no official word yet on whether New Jersey will change the day when it celebrates Juneteenth each year to coincide with the federal holiday.