The Green Bay Packers announced today that the organization will be closing its offices and businesses Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth, the commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. It will be an annual observance for the organization.
Juneteenth dates back to June 19, 1865, the day that Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with the news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free.
"The Packers will be observing Juneteenth and taking the opportunity to reflect on our own roles and opportunities to further our awareness of racial injustices and inequities and what we can do to affect positive change in our communities," Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said.
