Target and Nike offer Juneteenth as paid holiday, joining other national companies
Target is joining other companies in recognizing Juneteenth as a paid national holiday, the company said on Monday.
Target stores will be open on June 19, or Juneteenth, the oldest holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.
On that day in 1865, Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and read an order, which said, in part: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
Texas was the the most remote of the Southern states with enslaved people — almost 250,000 — and though the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted on Jan. 1, 1863, giving enslaved people their freedom, many of those enslaved in Texas had never been told they were free, according to multiple historical accounts, including from juneteenth.com.
The holiday spread from Texas to across the nation and now, as people take to the streets to protest police brutality and racial injustice following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd, more businesses are recognizing its significance.
Target employees working on June 19 “will be paid time and a half,” according to a company statement. Workers have the option to take the holiday off with full pay.
“We recognize that the racial trauma the country is experiencing now is not new, but throughout recent weeks there has been a sense that this time is, and has to be, different,” Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO of Target, said in a statement. “Juneteenth takes on additional significance in this moment. Moving now to recognize it on an annual basis — as a day to celebrate, further educate ourselves or connect with our communities — is one more important action Target can take as a company to help the country live up to the ideal of moving forward in a new way.”
Floyd, an unarmed black man, died in Minneapolis police custody after now-jailed officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, while three other officers did not intervene. All four officers have been charged in Floyd’s death.
Here are other companies recognizing Juneteenth this year.
Nike
Nike CEO John Donahoe declared Juneteenth a paid holiday, according to an internal memo obtained by Forbes. Donahoe said the holiday was an “important opportunity to better commemorate and celebrate Black history and culture,” the outlet reported.
Google employees were told to cancel “unnecessary meetings” on Juneteenth, according to a staff memo obtained by Reuters.
“We encourage all Googlers to use this day to create space for learning and reflection, so please don’t schedule any unnecessary meetings,” the Google memo said, according to the outlet. “Now, more than ever, it’s important for us to find moments of connection as a community.”
Twitter and Square
From this year forward, Twitter and Square, both owned by CEO Jack Dorsey, will honor Juneteenth as a holiday.
“A day for celebration, education, and connection.” Dorsey posted on Twitter.
Lyft
The company announced on Twitter on Friday that Juneteenth would be made a national holiday. “It’s one step in our ongoing journey toward racial equality at Lyft, and in this country,” the company tweeted.
The New York Times
The New York Times is offering Juneteenth as a paid holiday, according to an announcement posted on Twitter.
“In support of our Black colleagues at this moment of global reckoning, The New York Times this year is celebrating Juneteenth, which occurs Friday, June 19,” the announcement read. “In recognition of this day, the company is offering eligible employees one paid day off to observe the holiday.”
JCPenny
CEO Jill Soltau said in a company memo on Monday that JCPenny will recognize June 19 as a company holiday.
“This Friday, June 19, I ask that you take the day to honor the historic pain caused by — and lives lost to — racial inequity and celebrate racial diversity,” the memo reads. “This is an opportunity to continue to learn, connect with each other, and reflect on how we can move forward and achieve permanent and lasting change. Hourly associates working to serve our customers that day will receive additional holiday pay.”
NFL
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a company memo, that was posted on Twitter, that Juneteenth will be observed as a company holiday and that NFL offices will be closed.
“This year, as we work together as a family and in our communities to combat the racial injustices that remain deeply rooted into the fabric of our society, the NFL will observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19th as a recognized holiday and our league offices will be closed,” Goodell wrote. “It is a day to reflect on our past, but more importantly, consider how each one of us can continue to show up and band together to work toward a better future.”
Postmates
Postmates CEO Bastian Lehmann declared over Twitter that Juneteenth would be a permanent holiday at the company.
“Not just in response to the moment — but to allow all of us time to reflect on the Black American experience (from 1619 to today) & the actions required to move forward together,” Lehmann wrote.
Tumblr
Tumblr announced on Wednesday through an online post that Juneteenth would be a company holiday and advocated for June 19 to be a federal holiday.
“Celebrating Independence Day as a day of freedom when enslaved Black men, women, and children were not legally declared free for another 85 years (with 250,000 not told until two and a half years later) white-washes the cruel legacy of our country’s greatest sin,” the post read. “It’s time we demand Congress step up.”
Vox
Chief Executive Jim Bankoff said via a company memo that Vox Media would be recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday and is also launching a fellowship focusing on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and members of the National Association of Black Journalists.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Target and Nike offer Juneteenth as paid holiday, joining other national companies."