“Freedom is not something that one people can bestow on another as a gift. They claim it as their own and none can keep it from them.” —Kwame Nkruma
This year, Liaison is pleased to join the nation in recognizing Juneteenth—an incredibly significant day in our nation’s history and one that is finally receiving the attention it deserves.
On June 19, 1865, General Order No. 3 based on the Emancipation Proclamation, declared freedom for those enslaved in the state of Texas—the last state within the Confederacy that supported institutional slavery. The news, brought to Galveston by General Gordon Granger, freed 250,000 people.
Since that pivotal day, African Americans have enjoyed celebrations marking the occasion. In June of 2021, President Biden signed an order officially declaring Juneteenth—a word derived by blending June and nineteenth—a federal holiday. As is true of all our federal holidays, Juneteenth honors those who fought—and won—tremendous battles that have shaped our nation’s history and helped ensure the liberties we enjoy today.
“Even though the story has never been tidy, and Black folks have had to march and fight for every inch of our freedom, our story is nonetheless one of progress.” —Michelle Obama
You can learn more about Juneteenth here.