Fellow activist – Happy Juneteenth!
In 2021, President Biden signed a bill into law that recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Juneteenth, but the history of this celebration goes back 159 years.
Here is a quick history lesson:
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared "that all persons held as slaves" within rebellious states "are, henceforward, shall be free." However, despite this, a large number of people remained enslaved in the United States, especially in the border states.
On June 19, 1865, two and a half years later, federal troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, to enforce the liberation of the state’s more than 250,000 enslaved people. This date became known as "Juneteenth" to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.
Today, we celebrate Black freedom and liberation in the United States and commemorate the continued fight for equality and justice.
For us, Juneteenth will always be a day of celebration and advocacy. So today, we’re reaffirming our commitment to engage every Black, Brown, and young voter in the Commonwealth in the political process and elect a government that finally represents all of us.
In solidarity,
Team NPP |
