"The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, declaring enslaved people in Confederate States free. On February 1, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln took this freedom a step further by signing the Thirteenth Amendment, making emancipation a national policy. But it wasn't until June 19, 1865 that the 250,000 enslaved people of Texas were liberated. On that day, 2,000 Union solders marched into Galveston, declared all people free by executive decree, and kicked off the post-emancipation Reconstruction period that marked an era of hope, optimism, and rebuilding for our nation.
A lot of tremendous work has been done to continue this era of progress in the decades since. The descendants of former slaves have made great strides by healing generational trauma, becoming community leaders, starting businesses, running for political office, and passing meaningful legislation that extends freedom and equality. But our nation is still imperfect and has a lot of work to do.
This Juneteenth, may we all commit to honoring our history, swearing to never repeat it, and pushing for liberty, particularly for marginalized communities that continue to experience discrimination and injustices. I would also like to see Arizona join the federal government and a number of our municipalities in making Juneteeth an official state holiday. May Juneteeth be a reminder that today and every day after is another chance to make our nation freer, fairer, and kinder."
For questions, contact District 5 at 602-506-7092.
