Hi folks,

For two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, slavery continued in Galveston, Texas. Men, women, and children remained in bondage, completely unaware that they had been freed.

It wasn’t until June 19, 1865 that they were informed of their freedom. 

Juneteenth is a celebration for Black Americans of the freedom, triumphs, and justice they deserve.

Juneteenth is a reminder that Black Americans have spent centuries fighting for the promise of freedom, liberty and justice. It’s a reminder of the countless marches, sermons, protests, and movements started by men and women seeking dignity and equality under the law.

For me, Juneteenth is a reminder that there is a chasm between the experiences of the ancestors of Black Americans and the lives that my own ancestors were allowed to lead, that racial inequities in the United States are the result of policy choices -- including slavery -- of our government, and that it is our responsibility to make policy choices that account for that truth.

I’m ready to put in the work to make a difference. And I hope you’ll stand with me.

In solidarity,

Morgan McGarvey