Thursday June 19 marks Juneteenth, a federal holiday that means many government offices and companies will be closed for the day. Here’s what that means for your mail and packages.
The Context
Juneteenth is a federal holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States on the day in 1865 when 250,000 still-enslaved African Americans were told the Civil War had ended and that they had been freed.
Federal holidays mean that nonessential federal government offices close, as do some stores and restaurants, meaning some mail services will not be making deliveries as many Americans celebrate the holiday.
What To Know
Juneteenth has been celebrated in places like Galveston for decades, but it only became a federal holiday in 2021, after former President Joe Biden signed into law a bill passed by Congress to make it a federally celebrated holiday.
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring “all persons held as slaves” within Confederate states “are, and henceforward shall be free.” On June 19, 1865, soldiers from Union states arrived in Galveston, Texas, and freed all the slaves living there, marking the formal end to slavery in the United States.
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General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 on Juneteenth, which stated: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”
A year later, on June 19, 1866, numerous festivities took place across Texas to mark the occasion, and it has been celebrated ever since. It became a Texas state holiday in 1980.
Is Mail Delivered on Juneteenth?
A United States Postal Service (USPS) spokesperson told Newsweek that there will not be regular mail deliveries on Juneteenth, as is the case on all federal holidays. Priority Mail Express items, however, will still be delivered. This means the majority of deliveries may be delayed until Friday, June 20.
Is the Post Office Open Today?
USPS locations will be closed on Juneteenth, the USPS confirmed to Newsweek.
USPS, UPS, FedEx Deliveries
Although USPS will be closed on Juneteenth, UPS and FedEx will both continue making deliveries. UPS pickup and delivery services are available, and the UPS Store locations will also be open. Meanwhile, FedEx will continue operating its services on the holiday.
Most restaurants and stores will also be open for the holiday, though it’s always best to check with individual locations to see if there are any closures.
What Happens Next
After Juneteenth, the next federal holiday will be Independence Day on July 4, which may also affect mail services for both the USPS and privately run mail carriers.