The Juneteenth flag is flying over the state Capitol building to commemorate the first official recognition of Colorado’s 11th state holiday.

Gov. Jared Polis and members of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus gathered at the Capitol Thursday to raise the flag in honor of the new holiday, which was officially designated last May when Polis signed Senate Bill 139 into law.

“Colorado is made stronger by the diversity of our people,” Polis said. “Juneteenth is a celebration of joy and one of many shining examples of what a ‘Colorado for All’ looks like.”

Juneteenth, also called Freedom Day and Emancipation Day, celebrates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. The holiday recognizes June 19, when Major General Gordon Granger announced slaves in Texas were free in 1865. The announcement came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln declared the end of slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation.

SB-139 passed the state legislature with bipartisan support this session, with only three lawmakers voting against it and 93 voting in favor. Three Black Democratic lawmakers – Sen. Janet Buckner of Aurora, Rep. Leslie Herod of Denver and Sen. James Coleman of Denver –  championed the legislation. 

“I was incredibly proud of the work we did this session to ensure Colorado properly recognizes Juneteenth,” Buckner said. “I know that it will help educate all Coloradans about the horrors of slavery, make space to celebrate the Black community, and lift up our ongoing work to make sure we don’t forget our past.”

The holiday’s designation comes nearly 70 years after Denver’s first official Juneteenth celebration held in the historic Five Points neighborhood in 1953. Denver’s annual Juneteenth parade and music festival is one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the country, attracting around 50,000 attendees each year, according to event organizers.

The bill sponsors said this is the first time legislation has been introduced to officially recognize Juneteenth in Colorado. Local politicians and activists have been fighting for the holiday for years.

“Juneteenth uplifts the voices of the Black community and showcases our perseverance,” Herod said. “I’m proud to recognize Juneteenth as Colorado’s 11th state holiday so it can finally receive all the formal celebration and reflection it deserves.”

Colorado officially designated the holiday just under one year after Juneteenth National Independence Day was made a federal holiday – the first since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983. In February 2021, the city of Denver also established Juneteenth as an official city commemorative holiday.

State offices will be closed on Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth.