Bengals participate in Juneteenth celebration in downtown Cincinnati

CINCINNATI — The Bengals' offices were closed on Friday in observance of Juneteenth.

It was a paid holiday for all full-time staff, as awareness of the historical date continues to grow.

Juneteenth is a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.

On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger made the announcement that enslaved African Americans were free in Galveston, Texas. Juneteenth took place over two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Bengals running back Trayveon Williams and other members of the organization participated in events commemorating Juneteenth at Cincinnati City Hall on Friday morning.

The Bengals participated in events commemorating #Juneteenth at Cincinnati City Hall this morning. pic.twitter.com/gLBttOfCX4
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) June 19, 2020

League offices were closed on Friday, as were most of the rest of the 32 NFL teams' facilities.

There is a growing movement of people that believe Juneteenth should be a national holiday. Nearly every state has an annual celebration. More and more companies — not just professional sports teams — recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.

This is just the latest example of the Bengals pushing for equality in America. They pledged $250,000 to community initiatives earlier this month.

It was an honor to represent the Bengals organization as we raised the Juneteenth Flag above City Hall for the first time in the city’s history in observance of Juneteenth.
We need it to be a national holiday ! #freedom pic.twitter.com/QSPxODMLNY
— Trayveon Williams (@TrayveonW) June 19, 2020

They also held team meetings that included players, coaches and front office staff. The goal was to have an open conversation about race and determine how they can improve society.

"As black men we're not used to expressing ourselves or telling someone that's not the same race as you how you feel," safety Shawn Williams told Bengals.com. "Getting it off our chest but doing it the right way so they kind of feel your pain. Why you make the decisions you make or look the way you look because where you come from. It sheds light on what it means to a be a black man in America. Now they can't relate to it, but they can say, 'I can be your brother. I respect it,' and they're with you."