I beleive Texas is the only state in that this is a paid holiday.
Historically, Juneteenth was a Texas thing only. However, since the 1970s it has spread a bit to areas with very large black populations.
For a matter of perspective, I think celebrating the news that blacks were freed from slavery is as good a reason as any to have a holiday.
That said, I am a little surprised this happened in Austin. When I started reading I just assumed it was Houston or Dallas. Then again, the east side can be rough at times.
Guess no one here got the memo, because I was very much at work yesterday. In fact, I don’t know of anyone who was off yesterday.
Austin has had a lot of “racial trust” issues over the last few years. Most of them have involved the black community against the Austin Police Department.
I think there is continual overreaction down there. I am relatively certain a radically leftist bastion of government such as Austin would not harbor known racists on its police force.
It is an alternate paid holiday for state employees. That is one of others - Texas Independence Day, Good Friday (I think) and others.
State employees get a certain number of paid holidays per year. Any holiday that falls on weekends, they lose as a paid holiday.