Americans will celebrate Juneteenth on Wednesday, which means banks, post offices and other government buildings will close.
The holiday recognizes the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston to inform enslaved people of their freedom, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Black Americans, especially in Texas, have celebrated the day for decades. In 2021, President Joe Biden, with Fort Worth’s Opal Lee at his side, signed into law a bill declaring Juneteenth a national holiday. Lee, who long championed federal recognition of the holiday, is known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”
In 2016, Lee made her way from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., walking 2½ miles in several cities along the way to represent the time it took for news of emancipation to reach Galveston. This year, she will lead the symbolic walk through Dallas.
While restaurants and grocery stores will largely remain open, banks, post offices and other government offices will close to mark the day.
Here’s what’s open and closed:
U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS
All post offices will be closed, with no residential and business mail deliveries on Wednesday.
UPS pickup and delivery services will be available, and store locations will be open, according to the company’s website. FedEx pickup and delivery services will also be available, according to the company’s website, and store locations will be open.
Banks
All major banks and their branches will close. However, ATMs and online banking will remain available.
Grocery and retail stores
Most grocery stores will have normal hours Wednesday, including H-E-B, Kroger, Tom Thumb and Albertsons, the stores confirmed Monday. Retail stores, including Target and Walmart, will also be open with normal hours.
City, county and state offices
Dallas City Hall and Dallas County offices will close on Wednesday, as will other North Texas government offices. All federal and state offices will close for the day as well.
