John —

Today marks 156 years since Union troops marched to Galveston, Texas to give Black Southerners the news of their freedom from enslavement. Following the Civil War, the message came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, and now June 19th — Juneteenth — is remembered as a holiday in honor of Black liberation and the end of slavery.

Thanks to the work of activists and the votes taken this week by Barbara and her colleagues in Congress, Juneteenth is now a national holiday.

While formalizing the celebration of Juneteenth is one meaningful step in the right direction to acknowledge our nation’s historic wrongs, we have a long path ahead of us in the fight for racial justice and equality.

So on this day of celebration of the emancipation of slaves, we are lifting up H.R. 40 — an initiative Barbara has been an outspoken advocate for to begin pursuing reparations for the descendants of slaves.

Will you sign on to Barbara’s petition demanding Congress pass H.R. 40 to begin paving the way for reparations?

Our fight for liberation, equality, and justice for all lives on in the spirit of those who came before us. And today especially, we remember their sacrifices and celebrate their achievements that helped us realize a more just, although still imperfect, society.

Thank you, and happy Juneteenth to you all!

— Team Barbara Lee