What's open and closed on Jan. 9, the national day of mourning? Here's what to know
President Joe Biden has declared Jan. 9 as a national day of mourning to honor former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.
Thursday marks Carter’s official state funeral, which is set to be held at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. after several days of proceedings that began in his home state of Georgia.
As part of the declaration, Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff for a period of 30 days following Carter's death.
"I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance," Biden said in a statement following Carter's death.
On previous national days of mourning, like after the deaths of former Presidents George H. W. Bush in 2018 and Gerald Ford in 2006, federal offices and stock markets were closed in the U.S.
Here's what to know about what will be open and closed on Jan. 9.
Is the post office closed on Jan. 9? Will mail be delivered?
All U.S. Postal Service post offices will be closed and mail will not be delivered on Jan. 9, the USPS confirmed to Paste BN Tuesday.
Will government offices be closed on Jan. 9?
Federal offices will be closed on Jan. 9 in honor of Carter's death, following an executive order issued by Biden on Dec. 30. Similarly to a federal holiday, not all federal workers will be exempt of working, as some could be deemed as vital.
Supreme Court Justice John Roberts also ordered the Supreme Court building closed on Jan. 9 in recognition of the national day of mourning for Carter. Although the court was not scheduled to be in session that day, the court will hear arguments the next day in TikTok’s challenge to a federal law requiring the popular, short-form video app to divest from its Chinese parent company by Jan. 19.
Will banks or other businesses be closed on Jan. 9?
National days of mourning do not require businesses or banks to close like a federal holiday normally does, so most banks will remain open on Jan. 9.
It is a good idea to reach out to your local bank branch if you want more specific information regarding their hours on Thursday.
Is the stock market closed on Jan. 9?
Trading on the New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 9. The Nasdaq said it would be closing trading of all U.S. equities and options that day as well.
Bond markets will be open, but for reduced hours, closing early at 2 p.m. ET, according to a recommendation from the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.
"Jimmy Carter, with humble roots as a farmer and family man, devoted his life to public service and defending our freedom," Lynn Martin, President of NYSE Group said in a news release.
Are national parks open on Jan. 9?
National parks, as well as their visitor services, will "generally be open and available" on Thursday, but National Park Service administrative offices will be closed, the NPS said. It's always smart to check your desired park's individual website for operations information before heading to the park. The NPS offers a summary of closures here.
Contributing: Jay Cannon, Paste BN
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at Paste BN. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.