Sacramento, California – Sacramento workers now mark Juneteenth as an official paid city holiday, a change Councilmember Caity Maple celebrated as the result of years of work by city leaders, employees and labor partners.
Maple said the effort began two years ago, when she and Councilmember Rick Jennings partnered with the African American Employee Leadership Council to start the process of making Juneteenth a paid holiday for City of Sacramento employees. That work, she said, has now become reality.
“We’re proud to see that work become a reality today!” Maple said.
Juneteenth, observed each year on June 19, honors the end of slavery in the United States and is widely recognized as a day of freedom, reflection and continued progress. For Sacramento, making it an official holiday for city workers means the date will now be formally recognized in the city’s employee calendar, giving workers paid time to observe the occasion.
Maple credited the African American Employee Leadership Council, also known as the AAELC, for helping lead the effort. She also pointed to the work of city staff and labor partners, saying the change required cooperation across City Hall.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the leadership of the AAELC and the dedication of our city staff and labor partners, who worked together to bring this across the finish line,” Maple said.
The decision adds Sacramento to the growing list of public agencies and employers that have formally recognized Juneteenth in the years since it became a federal holiday in 2021. More information about the federal holiday is available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-117publ17/pdf/PLAW-117publ17.pdf.
For Maple, the local action is about more than a day off. She described Juneteenth as a reminder of history, but also as a call to keep building a city where all residents and workers are seen and valued.
“Juneteenth is a recognition of freedom long delayed, resilience in the face of injustice, and the ongoing work of building a community where everyone belongs,” she said. “I’m honored that Sacramento will now officially observe this important day.”
The new holiday gives Sacramento city employees formal space to honor that legacy each year. It also turns a long-discussed goal into city policy, closing a chapter that began with advocacy and ending, for now, with recognition.