Fashion companies get in line to support Juneteenth

This year in the wake of civil rights protests, Juneteenth has gained more traction than ever. Junenteenth is a holiday celebrating the liberation of those who had been held slaves in the United States. The holiday originated in Texas and has now gained national recognition.

Many fashion and retail companies have offered paid holiday vacation time for employees today including Nike, Apple, Coach-parent Tapestry, Target, Condé Nast and Hearst. Nike has even gone as far as to shutdown stores and distribution centers for the day.

Since Juneteenth isn't an officially recognized holiday, the stock market won't close, so many companies are figuring out just how to approach the holiday. Some have been debating offering it in lieu of other federal holidays, like Columbus Day. Several banks are even closing early today.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo has signed an executive order declaring Juneteenth a holiday for state employees and has proposed legislation to make it a fully recognized state holiday beginning next year. Brands, like Sophia Webster, have also dedicated 19 percent of their average daily net sales to organizations benefiting the black community.