Hawks make Juneteenth paid company holiday

The Hawks have designated Juneteenth as a permanent paid company holiday for all employees, the NBA franchise announced Sunday. June 19 is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War and slavery had ended.

“I am proud of the decision our organization has made to recognize Juneteenth as a company holiday this year and going forward,” Camye Mackey, Chief People, Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the Hawks and State Farm Arena said in a statement released by the team. “This is one of many steps we’ll take to support the positive change we need to see in society.”