Juneteenth

June 18, 2020

A message from Kimberly Goff-Crews, Secretary and Vice President for University Life


Tomorrow is Juneteenth, and marks 155 years since the formerly enslaved Black people of Galveston, Texas were among the last people in our country to learn that they were freed from slavery. The news came almost two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had formally declared this freedom. In the Black community, Juneteenth has long been celebrated with music, readings, and gatherings as a day of hope and inspiration – a second independence day.

In this sad and difficult time, I am heartened by the increased public attention to Juneteenth as a way to celebrate community and recognize the extraordinary contribution our Black brothers and sisters have made to American life. I plan to take time on June 19th to reflect on this contribution and on the important work still ahead of us as we address, once again, inequity and racism in our country. I hope you will join me.