Austin City Council establishes Juneteenth as city holiday

AUSTIN, Texas - Juneteenth will now be an annual holiday in the city of Austin.

Austin City Council has established June 19 as a holiday to memorialize the end of slavery in the U.S. and to celebrate the Africans and African descendants who survived an inhumane economic system and thrived as American citizens.

The council also approved a resolution accelerating the process of renaming city monuments, memorials, streets, and buildings dedicated to white supremacy or Confederate history.

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Another item that city council passed declared racism in Austin a public health crisis. FOX 7 Austin's Bridget Spencer will have more on that and the other items that city council discussed on FOX 7 Austin News at 5.