The Legacy of Juneteenth

As you may have heard, on Thursday, June 17, 2021, President Biden approved the vote by the U.S. Congress to declare Juneteenth a federal holiday. The U.S. Federal Government has decided to mark its first observance on Friday, June 18, 2021.   

In observance of Juneteenth, Generation Hope will be closed Monday, June 21, 2021. We will not report to offices or work remotely. 

As our team takes time to engage in various activities over the holiday weekend, we hope you will join us in taking advantage of this time to learn about the history of Juneteenth — officially celebrated on June 19 — and to reflect on the progress of our nation towards building racial equity.

Since its founding, America has institutionalized barriers based on race that have made it difficult or impossible for Black people to access the information, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive across generations. While celebrating Juneteenth as a federal holiday is a step in the right direction in honoring the humanity of enslaved Black Americans, we know that there is still more work to be done. To learn more about how we are building and deepening our race equity efforts, please visit www.generationhope.org/race-equity. 

Juneteenth History

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the executive decree granting freedom to people still being held in slavery. This came a full two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had officially freed people held in slavery, a tragic example of the persistence of racism and oppression against Black people. 

Please consider using these online resources to educate yourself about Juneteenth this weekend. We hope these resources will spark meaningful conversations about our nation’s history.