HELENA — On Monday, June 21, City of Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins proclaimed that June 23, 2021 will be recognized as Juneteenth National Independence Day in the City for this year.
The proclamation will not result in changes to all public services, but Helena residents should be aware that some offices may be closed.
The following services will remain open to the public:
- Bill Roberts Golf Course
- Capital Transit Bus System
- Muni’s Restaurant
- Municipal Court
- Last Chance Pool
- Transfer Station
Household trash pick-up will also follow its normal schedule. The City-County Building, as well as the Law and Justice Center, will be open for Lewis and Clark County services.
The following services will be closed to the public on June 23
- Civic Center
- Parking, Streets, and Traffic Offices
- Planning and Building Offices
- Police Department Public Records
- Utility Offices
Last week, a bill was signed into law designating Juneteenth National Independence Day as a federal holiday. Due to the timing of the legislation, the Mayor opted to delay recognition of the holiday to this week. Starting in 2022, the City of Helena will recognize Juneteenth on the same day as the federal holiday.
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. On the morning of June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived on the island of Galveston. His men marched throughout Galveston reading General Order No. 3 informing all Texans that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves were free.
