(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Saints are recognizing Juneteenth for the first time as company staff and its players will have a paid day off.
As first reported by ESPN’s Mike Triplett, Saints owner Gayle Benson and President Dennis Lauscha made the decision last week to observe the holiday this upcoming Friday, June 19th. The holiday will also be observed by the New Orleans Pelicans as well.
Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in January of 1863, the news did not reach the entire country.