What does Juneteenth mean to you, John?

For me, it is both a celebration of our nation’s progress and an important reminder of the work we still must do to achieve equality. 

Today, we recognize the end of slavery in our country, which occurred not when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, but more than two years later, on June 19, 1865, when news of liberation finally reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas.

Black Americans in Texas and across the country have honored this day for the last 159 years. In 2021, I was so proud to join Fort Worth's own Ms. Opal Lee and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee when Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday.

The truth is though, John, our work to build a more perfect union is far from over. America is a great country not because we’ve always gotten it right, but because we always try to get better. As Americans across the country celebrate Juneteenth, that is what I hope you’ll join me in reflecting on. 

I believe our country will live up to its founding promise of freedom and justice for all. Our ability to strive toward this foundational promise is what makes the United States the greatest country in the world. 

Wishing you a happy Juneteenth,

Colin Allred