Carney: State offices will close in honor of Juneteenth

Gov. John Carney announced Thursday he will close state offices in honor of Juneteenth, at a time when there is a nationwide push to make the day a recognized holiday.

Juneteenth, which is celebrated on June 19, commemorates this day in 1865 when formerly enslaved people in Texas were told they had been freed — two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

BACKGROUND:Wilmington removes Caesar Rodney, Christopher Columbus statues Friday amid calls for change

Amid a nationwide reckoning on race following the death of George Floyd, many have urged for states and the federal government to make Juneteenth a paid holiday. This week, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced his support for making this day a state holiday.

When asked during a press briefing on Tuesday if he would do the same, Carney indicated it could be a possibility for Delaware. 

"As we move forward, I believe the least that each of us can do is commit to learning the lessons of our history. The good and the bad," Carney said Thursday in a press release.

"This holiday," he added, "offers an opportunity to encourage open dialogue, and to recommit to treating one another with more respect."

READ:As historical monuments fall nationwide, Delaware grapples with what these symbols represent

This also comes at a time when, across the country, activists have targeted historical monuments of Confederate soldiers and American colonists, which they say are celebrations of slavery and racism. 

Late last week, the city of Wilmington temporarily removed its statues of Caesar Rodney, a Founding Father who owned slaves, and Christopher Columbus, who enslaved and murdered indigenous people.

Mayor Mike Purzycki said at the time that the statues had been removed so "there can be an overdue discussion about the public display of historical figures and events."

READ:After statues come down, Delaware Blue Coats will reexamine Caesar Rodney logo

While it's unclear how Delaware at large will reexamine its celebration of Rodney, Carney also announced Thursday that the state will work with the Delaware Heritage Commission to create an educational program around issues of race and slavery in Delaware and the United States.

"If we don’t educate ourselves and acknowledge our ugly history around race," Carney said, "we can’t begin to understand the anger and frustration that I’ve heard from so many Delawareans in the last several weeks."

Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @merenewman.