Juneteenth becomes St. John Parish holiday

Published 11:56 am Saturday, June 20, 2020

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LAPLACE — In a historic move, St. John Parish President Jaclyn Hotard proclaimed Friday, June 19, 2020 as “Juneteenth Independence Day.”

The Parish Council unanimously declared Juneteenth an official holiday during a special meeting on June 17. Parish offices were closed Friday for the occasion.

St. John residents march for a cause.

“We wanted to formally recognize Juneteenth and purposefully honor its place of historic significance,” said Parish President Hotard. “In St. John, we are committed to ensuring our Parish promotes the inclusion of all history and encourages the celebration of Juneteenth by the community.”

A march for Justice and Freedom took place Friday morning from Home Depot to the Percy Hebert Building in LaPlace.