FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky will honor Juneteenth officially for the first time on Friday, marking the anniversary of when the Union army traveled to Texas and declared slaves were free on June 19, 1865.

What You Need To Know


  • Governor honors Juneteenth

  • Would like to see it made state holiday

  • It would have to pass the next General Assembly

Gov.Andy Beshear (D) signed a proclamation celebrating Juneteeth this year — and he wants lawmakers to make it an official state holiday.

"It would have to pass in the next General Assembly, but I think it’s time," Beshear said. "It’s the right thing to do.

The town of Midway, roughly 20 minutes away from the Capitol in Woodford County, has already made it a city-wide holiday.

"We have a long history with a lot of Black American involvement in Midway," Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said. "They helped build the city, literally."

Vandegrift signed an order making the day a paid holiday for city employees.

He said he would’ve planned more public events for Juneteenth if it weren’t for the coronavirus, but he still wants to show support.

"This city truly does care. This city wants to be part of the solution," Vandegrift said. "We do not, in any way, want to be part of the problem, which also means we don’t want to assume that our race relations in town are rosier than they may be. And that’s what we need to hear from our black citizens is, are we doing enough?"

Beshear said Juneteenth is a time to remember racial inequality still exists, 155 years after the official end of slavery.

"And that we celebrate the dates that at least portions of it ended," Beshear said.

And Vandegrift hopes more small towns have conversations about race relations.

"If we don’t do it now, when are we ever going to do it?" Vandegrift asked.

The order in Midway makes Juneteenth an annual city holiday.

State lawmakers would have to pass a law to make it a statewide holiday and they don’t return for the session until January