Today, we celebrate Juneteenth and all it represents, here in Texas and across the country. 

Juneteenth has special significance for Texans because on this day in 1865—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued—Texans received word of the end of slavery in the U.S. when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and announced that all slaves were now free and had “absolute equality” of personal rights and property rights.

Since that day, Texans have celebrated June 19 as a day of freedom, progress, and hope.  At the same time, we also know that we still have much work to do to make the promise of this day a reality for all.  It is important to remember and learn from our history—all of it—and to work together every day to ensure the promise of America for all of its citizens. 

Juneteenth is a celebration of our ability to do that—to advance the cause of freedom, to expand opportunity, and to make progress.

Today is a day of joy and hope and faith that, with perseverance and commitment, we can continue to build a better America for all Americans.  To do so, we must know our history and commit ourselves to our ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity for all Americans.  Today and every day.

Together, we can do anything,