Corporate executives and celebrities are rallying behind calls to make Juneteenth a national paid holiday.

Williams, television host Ellen DeGeneres, "Black-ish" creator Kenya Barris and CNN's Van Jones are working with Global Citizen and consulting firm Teneo to help galvanize companies and state governments to recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday?

"So why not make that a paid holiday.

He emphasized that the movement to make Juneteenth a holiday is not to detract from the Fourth of July but to create a holiday "that is inclusive of everyone."M

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, which have demanded reforms following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, momentum is growing to support making this day a national holiday. Earlier this month, a number of companies recognized it as a paid holiday or honored the day with a moment of silence, including Adobe, Tesla, Fiat Chrysler, Target and Twitter.

Williams has been in talks with corporations and legislators to create an American holiday as well as international holidays to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people globally.