Juneteenth Observed
Campus will be closed on Monday, June 19th in observance of Juneteenth.
On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, TX, announcing that enslaved
Africans were free by federal degree. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was
effective as of 1863, it took two years for the liberation of the enslaved in Texas
to be realized. This day of liberation came to be known and celebrated as Juneteenth.
Since June 19, 1865, Juneteenth has been celebrated as a day of freedom, culture and
empowerment for African Americans, but it is also reminder of how far our nation has
come and how far we still have to go.
Last year, President Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday. Juneteenth is a
critical part of our nation’s history and I encourage you to learn more and find ways
to join in celebrating this significant day.
For more information about Juneteenth, visit the following sites:
The National Museum of African American History and Culture:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/historical-legacy-juneteenth
The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth | National Museum of African American History
and Culture
nmaahc.si.edu
Juneteenth is a monumental yet often overlooked event in our nation’s history. On
June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston Bay, Texas, were notified by
Union troops they, along with all other enslaved black people in the state, were free
by executive decree.
National Geographic: Celebrating Freedom
https://email.nationalgeographic.com/H/2/v600000181696c021e85fa06f4bbe5bf30/0b614149-ca25-4adc-8d47-42d8b6bebd75/HTML
Enjoy the weekend and celebrate Juneteenth!
Dr. Patricia van Leeuwaarde Moonsammy
Senior Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion