WASHINGTON — The U.S. on Thursday, June 19, will commemorate Juneteenth as a federally recognized holiday for the fifth year. 

Juneteenth marks the day when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free. In 2021, it was enshrined as a federal holiday.

While the majority of businesses will remain open on Thursday, there are some key exceptions. 

Since Juneteenth is recognized as a federal holiday, numerous government offices and services will not be operational on Thursday. Here is an overview of which places will remain open or closed during Juneteenth.

On Thursday, Juneteenth, many banks will pause their operations, though ATMs and online banking platforms will continue functioning. Prominent banks that plan to close on June 19 include Bank of America Corp., JPMorgan Chase and Co., Wells Fargo, Truist, CitiBank, and Capital One.

Like with most federal holidays, the U.S. Post Office will be closed on Thursday, June 19, 2025, for Juneteenth. 

For delivery and pickup services, both UPS and FedEx will operate as usual on Juneteenth. These companies continue their services through holidays, allowing customers to conduct transactions in-store as well.

Most federal government offices will be closed on Thursday. However, jurisdiction falls on cities and local governments on whether they’ll remain open.

The U.S. stock market will be closed Thursday to commemorate Juneteenth. 

Generally, most businesses and restaurants will remain open on Juneteenth. 

Here’s a list of some of the national retailers planning to operate normally: Grocery and general stores such as Kroger, Walmart and Target are expected to stay open for the holiday. Pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens will also remain open. 

Yes, Walmart stores will be open regular hours on Juneteenth. As always, it’s good to double check with your local Walmart before heading to the store. 

Yes, Target stores will be open on Thursday, June 19. 

Costco only closes for seven holidays throughout the year, and Juneteenth isn’t one of them. All Costco stores will remain open on Thursday, June 19, according to its website. 

The holiday name is a blend of the words June and nineteenth. It has also been called Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, second Independence Day and Emancipation Day.

The holiday regained traction in 2020 amid nationwide protests over police killings of Black Americans including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. 

Despite the new federal holiday status, Juneteenth holds a 150-year history and has been celebrated for generations by Black Americans.

Juneteenth originated in Galveston, Texas, after the end of the Civil War. 

Through the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, enslaved people in the Confederate states were declared legally free. 

“Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States,” describes the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

But the proclamation couldn’t be enforced in places still under Confederate control. For the enslaved people of Texas, freedom wouldn’t come until after the end of the Civil War. 

On June 19, 1865, Union Major Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in Galveston Bay, announcing that the quarter million enslaved Black people in Texas were free by executive decree.