The Los Angeles Football Club Tuesday announced an initiative to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday in the United States.
The campaign features a Change.org petition with the goal of receiving 100,000 signatures.
Juneteenth is known as the U.S. celebration of the official end of slavery. The 155-year-old holiday is celebrated on June 19, the date Major General Gordon Granger of the Union Army landed in Galveston, Texas and informed slaves that the Civil War had ended and slavery had been abolished.
The holiday is recognized in 47 states throughout the country.
The launch of the Juneteenth petition is the first of many upcoming initiatives LAFC is pledging to take on in its commitment to foster change, including observing June 19th as a company-wide holiday annually.
In a statement, LAFC said that it “stands firmly in solidarity with the Black Community against all acts of racism, hatred and prejudice. LAFC will continue to support, promote equality and use their collective voice against all social injustice.”
Fans can sign the petition here:
