Jack Dorsey announced late Tuesday that the two firms he leads, Twitter and Square, will mark June 19 as a holiday to show support for racial diversity. ‘Juneteenth’ will now permanently be a fixture for his firms in the U.S. (via Reuters).
Jack Dorsey Declares June 19 a Holiday Celebrating Racial Diversity
In a tweet, Mr. Dorsey said that the day will “forevermore” be “a day for celebration, education, and connection.”
His announcement comes as tech firms increasingly look at ways to both celebrate and improve racial diversity after the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests. The day chosen is significant as it commemorates the abolition of slavery in the U.S. by President Abraham Lincoln.
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Actually the Emancipation Proclamation was on January 1,1863. Juneteenth is the celebration of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation to the slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865.