Gov. Morrisey's refusal to recognize Juneteenth confuses W.Va. state workers

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced he will not recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday, causing some confusion for state employees.

“State workers have to report to work, but county buildings where many state workers do work are closed,” Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango said.. “I think a lot of them are going to work remotely or if they don’t want to work remotely, they take PTO. It’s an unusual situation.”

Salango said it’s required that county employees have the day off, but Morrisey is allowed to make a decision regarding an observance of the holiday.

“Each administration is different. They can recognize whatever holidays they want to recognize,” Salango said. “Certainly, it’s within Gov. Morissey’s prerogative and his discretion to do that.”

Not everyone is happy with the governor’s decision. Rev. Matthew J. Watts said Juneteenth holds importance to many West Virginians.

“Juneteenth becomes a way to really educate people really about the impact of slavery in West Virginia and the fact that we were a slaveholding state,” Watts said.

West Virginia became a state on June 20, 1863, but not because it were against slavery. Watts said there’s artifacts dating back to that period right in the capital city.

“Slaves in coal mines, slaves in salt mines right up at Belle and Rand West Virginia,” he said. “Slaves worked in steel mills to some degree. Slave labor was critically important.”

Watts hopes West Virginians can take the day to educate themselves on the state’s history.

“I was never taught that slavery existed in West Virginia,” he said. “As a matter of fact, we were told West Virginia succeeded from Virginia over the slave issue and that’s what I believed until I was well into my adulthood.”

Watts is joining Delegates Sean Hornbuckle and Hollis Lewis Thursday for a Juneteenth celebration at the Capitol at 10:30 am.