JUNETEENTH & OUR MISSION
Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House two months earlier in Virginia, but slavery had remained relatively unaffected in Texas—until U.S. General Gordon Granger stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
HONOR LEGACY
Honoring History allows us to celebrate the liberating work of our ancestors while harnessing their resilience, joy and traditions, as our own. History invites us to be responsible and participate in creating a
freer future for all.
CELEBRATE FREEDOM AS HEALING
Holding Space for Celebration as a pathway to Healing plays a important role in returning to our humanity as African Americans. Our goal is to offer a communal respite through various expressions of Joy to remind us to enjoy living and to fully be present in the moment that is now.
INSPIRE LIBERATION
The goal of Juneteenth is to remind us that the work of freedom is a work we share in together for all of humanity. We have been freed in order to advocate, protect and inspire others towards holistic liberation. We all can play a role in leveraging our freedom to free others.