Juneteenth Celebration and Reflection

Juneteenth was declared a national holiday in 2021 to commemorate Freedom Day of American slaves. It is a day of celebration, and a day that represents our complicated history and highlights uncomfortable truths. Although President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, the proclamation did not lead to a universal or immediate end to slavery in the United States. More than 25 months after legally declaring slaves free from bondage, American troops marched into Galveston Texas on June 19, 1865 to enforce the freedom the slaves there had not been allowed to claim on their own.

Let us come together to celebrate, to remember and to reflect, and to acknowledge our history and renew our commitment to support the work that still needs to be done.