Happy Juneteenth, john!

Juneteenth marks the end of slavery America. On June 19th, 1865, a full two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, that freed the last enslaved people in America.

And last year, President Biden signed my bill, the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act , which I co-sponsored with Senator Ed Markey, into law, designating today as a federal holiday.

It’s never been more important to recognize our history and commemorate the end of the dark stain of slavery — especially as many legislators and school boards across the country are trying to erase the importance of the struggle for Black liberation.

Today we remember the countless Black activists who have fought for recognition of Juneteenth. I am thinking especially of Ms. Opal Lee, known as the grandmother of Juneteenth. In 2016, at 89 she walked from her home in Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, bringing with her a petition in support of making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

After this bill passed the Senate, I had the opportunity to call Ms. Lee. When I told her the good news, the sound of the joy in her voice is a memory I will treasure for the rest of my life.

So while we celebrate today, let this also be a moment of rededication to the cause of racial justice.

Let us all work diligently toward the systemic change Black people deserve and need – like protecting voting rights and safeguarding our democracy, passing meaningful policing and criminal justice reform, pursuing economic and environmental justice, and working towards a more just and equitable world.

I know that lately, the path to justice has felt impossibly long. But in the darkest moments — let us draw inspiration and strength from the example of these heroes like Ms. Lee, and work together for a future of equity and justice for all.

Thank you,

Tina

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