"On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared enslaved people in Confederate states free. Two years later, the Thirteenth Amendment was signed on February 1, 1865, formally abolishing slavery across the country.
Yet true freedom for all didn’t reach every corner of the nation until June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to enforce emancipation and deliver this life-changing news to the more than 250,000 enslaved people in the area.
That day, now known as Juneteenth, marked the beginning of a new chapter of hope, resilience, and reconstruction.
In the decades since, the descendants of formerly enslaved people have shaped our nation in profound ways: by healing generational trauma, leading communities, building businesses, holding public office, and championing civil rights. Still, the fight for true equality is far from finished.
Juneteenth is a day for reflection, but also for action. It calls us to confront our country’s painful truths and work toward a future where equality is more than a promise but a lived reality. Let this day remind us that freedom is not a finish line, but a continuous effort—one we must all take part in."
