Juneteenth 2021 – Biden signs law making day a federal public holiday as GOP compares to ‘critical race theory’

PRESIDENT Joe Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery.

“This will go down for me as one of the greatest honors I will have as president,” Biden said.

The House voted 415-14 on Wednesday to make Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday, and President Joe Biden is scheduled to sign the bill into law on Thursday.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas — two months after the Confederacy had surrendered.

Despite the overwhelming support, some Republicans have criticized it, comparing it to critical race theory.

Read our Juneteenth live blog for all the latest news and updates…