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On Monday, June 19, 2023, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) observes Juneteenth National Independence Day, also known as “Jubilee Day.” The significance of this day in American history dates to June 19,1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were notified of their emancipation and freedom from forced labor – more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved persons in the Confederacy. The official Juneteenth Flag above was created to tell the story of freedom from slavery in the United States.
In June 2021, President Biden officially proclaimed Juneteenth Day of Observance, a federal holiday. At the signing of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, President Biden stated:
“By making Juneteenth a federal holiday, all Americans can feel the power of this day, and learn from our history, and celebrate progress, and grapple with the distance we have come but the distance we have to travel. Juneteenth not only commemorates the past. It calls to action today.”
President Biden’s proclamation further asserted that, “we recommit ourselves to the work of equity, equality, and justice. And we celebrate the centuries of struggle, courage, and hope that have brought us to this time of progress and possibility.”
At OFCCP we respond to this call to action each day. Our mission is to protect workers, promote diversity, and enforce the law. It is charged with protecting America’s workers by ensuring that those who do business with the federal government fulfill the promise of equal opportunity. In alignment with that mission, we provide outreach resources where employees of federal contractors can learn about the protections federal contractors are required to provide by law. The agency also provides compliance assistance to federal contractors and subcontractors to help them understand their regulatory requirements. The agency engages in enforcement efforts. In the last two fiscal years, we have recovered more than $52 million for workers and jobseekers who have experienced discrimination.
For over half a century, OFCCP has helped define and defend equal opportunity in the American workplace, and it will continue to do so in the years ahead. We stand with the President’s charge to recommit ourselves to the work of equity, equality, and justice. We hope that you will join us in recommitting to these core principles and observing Juneteenth with OFCCP.
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