Celebrating Juneteenth
Monday is Juneteenth, a time when we celebrate the end of slavery in the United States. As many know, this isn’t the day slavery officially ended—that happened in 1863 when Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Instead, Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when news of their freedom finally reached the slaves living in Galveston, Texas, one of the last strongholds of the Confederacy.
For more than two years, over 250,000 free men, women, and children continued to live in chains because freedom on paper doesn’t always translate to freedom in practice. Even today, the effects of slavery continue to appear in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways, affecting the health, safety, and opportunity of Black people throughout our country.
Looking back while moving forward
We have a lot to celebrate this weekend. Sunday also happens to be Father’s Day. But just as Father’s Day doesn’t celebrate the completion of fatherhood, Juneteenth doesn’t celebrate the final expression of freedom.
These ideas aren’t successes that we commemorate, but rather, they are processes that we rejoice in over and over again. As much as it’s about celebrating the emancipation of slaves, Juneteenth is also about renewing our commitment to making our society more just, equitable, and free.
At Emmaus House, we harness the power of community, education, hope, and love to dismantle poverty, racism, and other barriers to opportunity in the lives and communities we serve. We look forward to celebrating that mission on Monday, but even more, we look forward to continuing it.
Celebrate together
For those looking to celebrate Juneteenth this weekend, be sure to check out the following opportunities:
Happy Juneteenth (and Happy Father’s Day) from all of us at Emmaus House.