Today, we celebrate Juneteenth!
Juneteenth holds special significance for Texans. On this day in 1865 — long after the Emancipation Proclamation — 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 — Juneteenth — as a day of freedom, progress, and hope. Today, that celebration happens not only in Texas but across the country. I was so proud to be at the White House last year when President Biden signed the law making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
And while we celebrate all that Juneteenth represents, we also know that we still have much work to do to make its promise a reality for all. Juneteenth represents our ability to do that — to advance the cause of freedom, opportunity, and progress. Today is a day of joy and hope and faith that together we can continue to build a better America for all Americans.
Together, we can do anything,
