President Biden on Thursday signed into law a bill declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday, NBC News reports, officially and nationally recognizing June 19 as the day marking the end of slavery in the U.S.
Of the signing ceremony's many attendees was none other than R&B artist Usher, who last June penned an op-ed for The Washington Post titled "Why it's so important that Juneteenth become a national holiday." Also in attendance was Opal Lee, the 94-year-old activist at the heart of the Juneteenth movement, per NBC News.
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