Belleville

Are Illinois post offices, agencies closed for this year’s Juneteenth holiday?

Here’s what to know about post office and other government agency closures for Juneteenth. Seen in this file photo is a post office in Brooklyn, Ill.
Here’s what to know about post office and other government agency closures for Juneteenth. Seen in this file photo is a post office in Brooklyn, Ill. Belleville News-Democrat

Juneteenth is Friday, and U.S. post offices in Illinois and nationwide will close, and mail deliveries will not be made.

The Juneteenth holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, in 1865. The holiday has only been recognized by the U.S. federal government since 2021, but people in southwest Illinois have been celebrating it with an organized community event for more than a decade.

What’s closed, what’s open

Since Juneteenth is a federal holiday, non-essential U.S. government agencies will close.

Illinois is one of at least 33 states that will recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday for state government workers this year, according to the Pew Research Center. The Land of Lincoln’s Secretary of State offices will close for the holiday, although officials recommend double-checking your local facility’s schedule. Other state agencies, such as Illinois Department of Public Health offices and the Illinois Department of Revenue, will also close.

All Belleville city offices will close for Juneteenth, although trash service will run normally.

Juneteenth is also recognized as a bank holiday, and many major banks, including Chase and Bank of America, will close their branches Friday.

Grocery chains will generally operate normally Friday, including Walmart and Aldi.

UPS stores will be open Friday, and the company’s delivery and pickup services will be available. FedEx will also operate normally.

At least three community events celebrating Juneteenth will take place in the metro-east this year, including a festival in Collinsville and two events in East St. Louis.

Do you have a question about living in Illinois for the News-Democrat? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Metro-east Matters form below.

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Meredith Howard
Belleville News-Democrat
Meredith Howard is a service journalist with the Belleville News-Democrat. She is a Baylor University graduate and has previously freelanced with the Illinois Times and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Support my work with a digital subscription
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