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BROOKHAVEN — Sirens, reving four wheelers and side-by-sides made their way down South First Street Saturday afternoon. The caravan was proceeding to Brookhaven City Park while winding through the city in celebration of Juneteenth.

The actual holiday of Juneteenth will be on Wednesday.

Lincoln County’s courthouse will be a little odd Wednesday. On the city side, offices will be quiet and closed while county offices will be open and busy on Juneteenth. 

Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19th and is the day of celebration of an order declared on June 19, 1865 which proclaimed freedom for slaves in Texas. It has a long tradition of being celebrated by Americans but recently became a federal holiday in 2021. 

Mississippi has yet to declare it an official state holiday. Lincoln County Administrator Daniel Calcote explained to the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors in 2023 the day could be swapped with another state holiday to be celebrated as a holiday with the exception of Martin Luther King Day and Veterans Day. Lincoln County Offices did not close for Confederate Memorial Day either, having traded the day for Good Friday. 

Mississippi’s State Holidays include New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, George Washington’s birthday, Confederate Memorial Day, National Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  

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