New York City will officially observe Juneteenth as a city and school holiday starting next year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio helps volunteers paint a Black Lives Matter mural in the borough of Staten Island on Friday, as the city marks Juneteenth.Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images
"Structural racism pervades this city in ways that are still not acknowledged and recognized and we have to change that," de Blasio said."There's been an incessant effort over centuries... to sweep under the rug these truths. This is why Juneteenth is so important because it is a day for truth-telling."
She said the commission would look into the city's handling of employment, housing, criminal justice, the environment, education, and health.
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