On January 1st, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, effectively freeing more than three and a half million enslaved people throughout the United States.

But word didn’t reach the people of Galveston, Texas until June 19th, 1865 — two and a half years later.

A century and half later, we remember our ancestors and the travesties and injustices they faced, and we celebrate their courage in fighting for a better future they’d never get to see.

Their struggle is one they never should have been forced to endure.

But they knew that their dream of a better world for their children and grandchildren was — and always will be — worth fighting for.

When I think about what Juneteenth means to me and my family, I think about my great-grandmother, Maebel James.

She was born in the segregated South, just 31 years after the first Juneteenth, and she faced unspeakable tragedy in her life. Our family eventually fled the South and came to Maryland.

While my sister and I were growing up, Maebel was always there, a testament to empathy, resilience, and dignity.

Friend, she was so proud when I entered law school. I know the fact that I’m now the Democratic nominee to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate would mean the world to her.

Maebel witnessed our country change and transform — sometimes for the better, other times not — and she faced it all with grace, empathy, and love.

To me, she’ll always embody the same resilience, strength, and boundless hope that we recognize today on Juneteenth.

We’ve still got a long way to go, folks, but progress demands that we’re active, not passive, in the righteous struggle for justice, equality, and opportunity.

Together,

Angela Alsobrooks