06/19/2026
Happy Juneteenth, Texas Baptists family!
Today as we celebrate freedom and honor our African American brothers and sisters, please take a moment to reflect on these words from Marcus Wilson, Texas Baptists African American specialist:
“Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day the announcement of freedom finally reached Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued two and a half years earlier, Juneteenth marks the moment the promise of liberty was publicly declared to those who had long been denied it.
For some, this day may be remembered with the weight of sorrow because it points to one of the most painful chapters in American history. Yet Juneteenth also reminds us that a hurtful past, when understood rightly, can help fuel a powerful future.
The wounds of yesterday do not have to define our tomorrow. Viewed through the lens of truth and faith, our history becomes a catalyst for unity, equality and a renewed commitment to honoring every person as one made in the image of God.
As followers of Christ, we are called to pursue a future where freedom is not merely celebrated as a date on the calendar but is embodied through justice, love and reconciliation. As Micah 6:8 reminds us, ‘He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’
On this Juneteenth, let us remember the pain, celebrate the progress and rededicate ourselves to the work of building a future where every person is seen, valued, and treated with the dignity inherent to the imago Dei.”
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