06/19/2020
Today the City of Medford recognizes Juneteenth. It was on this day in 1865 that enslaved African Americans were finally freed, two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. And yet, more than 150 years later we as a nation still have so much work to do to recognize, respect, honor, and uplift the voices and contributions of our African American citizens, and all persons of color, as we work toward a truly equitable society.
While Juneteenth is recognized in the state of Massachusetts as an integral part of the story of our nation, it seems fitting that the day be officially recognized as a National Holiday. Many companies and organizations have recently announced that they will officially observe Juneteenth as a holiday. I hope that many others, and our federal government, follow suit to honor the incredible significance of this day in our history.
As included at Juneteenth.com, the “official Juneteenth Poem” reads, in part, “Dream we did, Act we must.” In Medford, we will act. This week I officially declared racism a public health emergency in the City of Medford. As a community, we will work together to address racism, create new policies and amend existing policies to eliminate barriers to access, to equity, and to opportunity.
If you’re interested in learning more and/or becoming involved in future Juneteenth celebrations, I encourage you to tune into West Medford Community Center virtual Juneteenth presentation, today from 4 to 8 p.m., in one of the following ways:
YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCiEfL_D8_Nv0JYH8_CbZRUg/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pg/WestMedfordCC/
Medford cable access: https://medford.vod.castus.tv/vod
111 Arlington St. Medford, MA 02155
