The City of Tombstone, Arizona, has announced that its offices will be closed on Thursday in recognition of Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. According to a notice posted on the city's official website, the closing aligns with the federal recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday, a decision that was established on June 17, 2021.
This year's observance marks the fourth anniversary since Juneteenth was officially added to the roster of federal holidays. Juneteenth itself memorializes June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to finally and fully enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all remaining slaves in one of the last Confederate holdouts. Recognizing the weight of history, the city has decided to join other municipalities across the nation to close its offices to honor the significance of this day.
In addition to the closure on Juneteenth, the city also indicated a brief interruption of service the preceding day. A separate announcement notified residents that City Hall will be closed from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The reason for this interruption was not specified in the notice. Residents are encouraged to plan their visits around these closures to ensure that city services can be accessed without inconvenience.
