In honor of Juneteenth many companies around the country have given employees paid leave.

Adobe, Lyft, the NFL, Postmates, Quicken Loans, Spotify, Target and Tumblr are some of the other notable organizations that have announced they would observe Juneteenth. Major banks — including JPMorgan Chase, Capital One, PNC and Fifth Third — will also close early to observe the day.

The effort to recognize Juneteenth comes after the May 25 death of George Floyd while in custody by Minneapolis police and the massive social uprising that has followed calling for a commitment to racial justice.

"Juneteenth not only marks the end of slavery in the United States, but it also symbolizes freedom — a freedom that delayed, and brutally resisted; and though decades of progress followed, a freedom for which we continue to fight," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told teams when announcing the holiday.

Major consumer brands including Adidas, Apple and Nike have thrown their support behind these efforts.

"When we say that Black Lives Matter, it applies to the world outside of Nike and, importantly, it applies to our Black teammates within Nike," Donahoe said in a memo to employees. "Simply put, we need to hold ourselves to a high standard given the heritage of our company and our brand."

Google is also jumping in to commemorate the 155th anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States with a video Google Doodle.

When you go to Google anytime on Friday you will see a triangle on the picture to click to start playing the video doodle.

The video doodle seeks to educate and inform people who may not have previously known of Juneteenth’s historical significance.

It's a blend of the words June and nineteenth and is the oldest known U.S. celebration of the end of slavery.

 

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) released the following statement commemorating Juneteenth. Senator Cortez Masto has cosponsored a resolution recognizing June 19th, 2020 as Juneteenth Independence Day in observance of June 19, 1865, the date on which news of the end of slavery reached the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas.

“This year, as we mark Juneteenth, we are reminded that the promise of freedom and liberation for African-Americans remains elusive, and that our focus mustcontinue to be on what Martin Luther King, Jr. called ‘the fierce urgency of now’ in making meaningful change. But celebration can be a revolutionary act. The women and men who celebrated the first Juneteenth in the heat of a Texas summer knew that the future held countless obstacles—yet they also held out hope for the future. On this Juneteenth, I honor the rich achievements of Black Nevadans in building a better future, and I promise to continue to work side by side with communities of color in the Silver State to make sure that every Nevadan can thrive.”

U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement:

“On Juneteenth, we celebrate a turning point in American history when President Lincoln’s order of emancipation was finally recognized in each and every corner of our country,” said Senator Rosen. “Unfortunately, this important holiday is often not taught in schools. This Juneteenth, let us take time to educate ourselves, as well as to celebrate the countless achievements and contributions the African American community has made to Nevada and our country. Let us also stand in solidarity with those fighting for change and continue our efforts to address the challenges of systemic racism, bigotry, and hatred that prevent all Americans from being truly equal.”

Nevada Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson released this statement:

"Today we commemorate the anniversary of delayed freedom for Black Americans. But our nation and our state's journey is not yet finished, and I believe that the movement currently building momentum will result in a more fair and equitable place where my children and all of Nevada's sons and daughters can grow up.

“To those fearless heroes who fought to get us where we are today, we honor your memory by continuing to work with hope. To those new to this fight, I say welcome, we need you. To my fellow Black Nevadans, I urge you not to give up. Our collective labor will yet yield fruit. On this Juneteenth, let us remember the struggle, celebrate our movement towards equality, and keep marching towards justice."

Nevada State Democratic Party Chair William McCurdy II released the following statement on Juneteenth:

“This emancipation day holds incredible weight this year as we watch a new generation of activists come together with those who have been in protest for decades pressing for much-needed change. We can celebrate Juneteenth but we must also recognize that although the enslaved went free 155 years ago, Black Americans are still struggling for freedom and justice. We are still held down by institutional racism, from pay disparities, to racial profiling, to police brutality. I think it's time Juneteenth be recognized as a federal holiday to remind our country where we’ve been, where we can never go back, and the work we have left to do. I encourage every Nevadan to take today to recognize the many contributions of the Black community, to patronize Black-owned businesses, and to celebrate Black America.”

 

(CBS News contributed to this report.)