LOS ANGELES -- The club that broke the color barrier with the signing of Jackie Robinson commemorated Juneteenth by closing its offices on Friday, encouraging employees to advance racial equity.

Juneteenth is an annual holiday, celebrated on June 19 -- the day slavery ended in the United States in 1865, when Union troops delivered word to Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War had ended.

• MLB celebrates Juneteenth | Resources for understanding racism, social justice

“As an organization, we take our responsibility of community leadership seriously and know that our core values of collaboration, communication, respect and diversity will mean nothing unless we act on them now,” said Stan Kasten, Dodgers president and CEO.

“In commemoration of Juneteenth, we’ve asked our team to use Friday to create a space for reflection, action and engagement to advance racial equity. Most importantly, we want everyone to consider how each one of us can continue to work together towards a better future.”

On Friday, the club released through its social media platforms a video pledging “to heed Jackie’s call” and step up the fight against racial injustice because “Black Lives Matter.”

The club is working on several upcoming initiatives, including the conversion of a current fundraising effort that benefits COVID-19 relief efforts to also support organizations that combat racial inequality.

The Dodgers and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation are selling special edition T-shirts that can be purchased at dodgers.com/together, where information on the beneficiaries can be found.

On Thursday, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw used his social platforms in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, sharing a famous quote by Martin Luther King Jr. -- “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Wrote Kershaw: “Tomorrow is Juneteenth -- the day that marks the [end] of slavery in 1865. And yet today our Black brothers and sisters are still facing injustices every day, a reality that spans the history of our country. We have to stand up and say something. Change starts with conversations -- we have to be willing to listen and learn and enter into tough conversations, both with our Black brothers and sisters and with our white brothers and sisters. Silence won’t cut it. We have to start by saying something and STANDING UP for our Black brothers and sisters. I want to listen, I want to learn, I want to do better and be different. I want my kids to be different.

“Black lives matter, and I am committed to taking a stand and affecting change -- starting with myself.”