Jaguars Will Close Offices for Juneteenth

The Jacksonville Jaguars will close their offices on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.

Joining NFL league offices and a growing list of other teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars will close their offices on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth. It's part of an ongoing effort by the Jaguars and on a larger scale, the NFL, to help fight racial injustice and shed light on racial history. 

The #jaguars are closing the offices this Friday, June 19th for Juneteenth

— J.P. Shadrick (@jpshadrick) June 17, 2020

Juneteenth is the day largely recognized as the end to slavery in the United States of American. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in September of 1862. Yet it wasn't until June 19, 1865 when Union generals landed in Galveston, Texas and alerted slaves there that the Civil War was over and they were free that slavery was officially ended in the United States of America. 

While long celebrated and recognized as an American holiday and celebrated as a state holiday in 47 of the 50 states, a recent push has been made to observe Juneteenth as a Federal holiday. A petition started on Change.org asking for such a change had just over 253K signatures as the time of this publication. 

Commissioner Roger Goodell recently shared a statement when announcing the league office would be closed for the holiday. 

"The power of this historical feat in our country's blemished history is felt each year, but there is no question that the magnitude of this event weighs even more heavily today in the current climate," the NFL said in a press release. "Juneteenth not only marks the end of slavery in the United States, but it also symbolizes freedom -- a freedom that was delayed, and brutally resisted; and though decades of progress followed, a freedom for which we must continue to fight.

"This year, as we work together as a family and in our communities to combat the racial injustices that remain deeply rooted into the fabric of our society, the NFL will observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19 as a recognized holiday and our league offices will be closed. It is a day to reflect on our past, but more importantly, consider how each one of us can continue to show up and band together to work toward a better future."

The Jaguars are encouraging their employees to take the day off and use it to learn more about race relations, the history of Juneteenth and explore Jacksonville to visit places important to the heritage of the local Black community while also visiting Black-owned businesses as patrons. Employees will also be provided with resources and links for educational purposes. 

The Jaguars were the first team in the NFL to organize a team led march and protest following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police brutality and subsequent racial unrest across the country. Running back Leonard Fournette organized a second march and protest the following week. 

"The murder of George Floyd has sparked frustration, anger," remarked head coach Doug Marrone following the team's first march. 

"You take a step back and you think, what can I do? Not only as a white male, but as a head football coach. There is a lot going on, but what can we control? We can control what is going on here. I think you will see steps as we progress through this. What is the plan? How are you going to sustain it? You get a lot of these questions. We are working.

"This is not meant to be like, ‘Alright, we want to do this or we want you to do this, hey let’s all take a picture.’ This is not staged. That’s the thing. I’m humbled to be out here, but I understand because of my position. It’s really about the players and what we can do to support them." 

Also confirmed to join the Jaguars in closing offices for Juneteenth is the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers.