Beaufort County offices closed for Juneteenth; community events, historic observance planned

Beaufort County announced that all county government buildings are closed Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth and will reopen Monday, June 22. County convenience centers were also closed for the holiday and were scheduled to resume normal operations on June 20. Operations at Hilton Head Island Airport and the Beaufort Executive Airport will continue, and emergency services and law enforcement remain available.

The county’s broadcast cited the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act of 2021 and a historical summary noting that federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to enforce emancipation. The county directed listeners to its press-release page for additional details.

Penn Center on St. Helena Island will host a free, all-ages Juneteenth event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 16 Penn Center Circle East. Organizers described the event as including free food and live music and an opportunity to learn about the holiday’s history.

In a recorded segment, Mitchelville Freedom Park executive director Ahmad Ward said Juneteenth is ‘‘when everybody was free,’’ and framed the day as a continuing celebration of freedom for people long excluded from that promise. Ward recounted General Gordon Granger’s issuance of General Order No. 3 in 1865 as the episode that prompted local celebrations that have continued through generations.

The county provided links to video coverage of local observances and to the county press-release page for schedules and locations. The broadcast advised listeners to check the county website for any changes to service hours over the holiday weekend.