Friends -

Today, we join together to celebrate a momentous day in American history. Today is Juneteenth, and for the first time, it is being celebrated as a national, federal holiday.

The celebration of Juneteenth dates back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, traveled to Galveston, Texas with the announcement that the Civil War had ended — and that all enslaved people were free. That was two and half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

For far too long, the true story of our nation's history has gone untold. The truth has been hidden as we have failed to acknowledge, address, and come to grips with our nation's original sin of slavery.

We cannot ignore the incalculable toll it took, and we cannot turn away as it continues to worsen inequality and mistreatment for Black people today. Racial injustice still permeates our society, infecting our courts, our schools, our hospitals, our places of work, our air and water, our neighborhoods, our towns and our cities.

The celebration of Juneteenth attempts to fill this gap in our history, recognizing the wrong that was done, acknowledging the pain and suffering of generations of slaves and their descendants, and finally celebrating their freedom. President Biden's signing of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act this past week brings us one step closer to the full acknowledgement that deserves.

Of course, acknowledging Juneteenth correctly as a federal holiday does not right the wrongs of our nation’s past. But it finally gives recognition and voice to those who suffered, and is an important step — one where we recognize the truth of our history and the missing half of the story of our nation’s freedom and independence.

To that end, our fight continues. There is still a tremendous amount of work to be done to ensure justice for all, and to rid our society of the inequities that continue to plague us. Juneteenth, yes. And voting rights. And police accountability. And clean air and clean water. And social and economic justice. And reparations. And much, much more.

Juneteenth is a reminder that no one is free unless we are all free. So today, and on every other day, let us recommit ourselves and our agenda to the movement for Black liberation.

Thank you.

In solidarity,

Ed Markey





Paid for by The Markey Committee

The Markey Committee
PO Box 120029
Boston, MA 02112
United States

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