Juneteenth honors the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States and is a Federal Holiday. The name “Juneteenth” is a blend of two words: “June” and “nineteenth.” It’s thought to be the oldest African-American holiday, with annual celebrations on June 19th in different parts of the country dating back to 1866.
On February 1, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln approved the Joint Resolution of Congress, submitting the proposed amendment to the state legislatures. The necessary number of states (three-fourths) ratified it by December 6, 1865. The 13th Amendment to the Constitution: abolish slavery.
To learn more about the history of this important time period, look into the details provided in the many resources available. Understanding history is an important part of our foundation. We live in the present, learn from the past and grow in our future by all we have gained.
Stayed focused on building the pathway forward in a land where we all grow together! We are free to enjoy the beauty of the world we build together. Destroying or removing elements of the past cannot erase the important accomplishments of overcoming, achieving, and improving as a nation. Mistakes as humans will always be made along the pathway in the journey of life but repeating them is what we want to erase from our roads ahead as we remind ourselves of the roads traveled. Growing in who we are is in reminding ourselves of the valley we were in and the climb we made. It is not just looking at one picture on the destination being reached. We have to celebrate each step of the climb to celebrate with gratitude all of the work to overcome obstacles, hardships and challenges to achieve.