On Wednesday, June 19, Emerson joins the nation in observing Juneteenth, the annual day of remembrance honoring when enslaved Black people in Galveston Bay, Texas, were informed of their emancipation in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

Also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is a poignant reminder of the slow wheel of justice, and our responsibility to remain vigilant in the pursuit of liberation from oppression.

In 2021, Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday, due in part to the activism of Opal Lee, a retired teacher who advocated on a grassroots level for federal recognition beginning in 2016 with a 1,400 mile walk to raise awareness.

Today, Juneteenth is a celebration of Black culture and history as well as somber reflection, and a call to more deeply understand and interrogate the complex systems of racial inequality.

Please take a moment to learn more about the importance of Juneteenth in the resources and events below.

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