06/20/2026
On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that all enslaved people in the Confederate states currently in rebellion against the Union were “forever free”. But freedom finally came to all slaves on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth,” by the newly freed people in Texas. Today we celebrate the work that was done, while realizing that there is more work to do. We aren’t truly free until every human being is free, no matter the color of their skin, their gender, their sexual orientation, or any of the many differences that make up our diverse human race. We are called to love all without judgement or bias. Happy Juneteenth! ❤️🖤💚
