06/19/2026
Today we commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth as both a national holiday of remembrance and respect, as well as an united acknowledgment of the indignities and oppression experienced by our African-American families, the friends we know and those we have not yet met. You likely know that the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared enslaved people in Confederate states to be free, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. However, news of the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t reach all enslaved African-Americans until June 19, 1865, when the news of their freedom finally reached Galveston, Texas, due to the slow spread of information and the ongoing Civil War. Juneteenth is considered Independence Day for African-Americans, as it signifies their liberation from slavery. Celebrations often involve prayer, religious services, speeches, educational events, family gatherings, picnics, and festivals with food, music, and dancing. The holiday also serves as an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of slavery and racism and to contemplate a more equitable future. I encourage you to seek out and participate in community Juneteenth celebrations and events, both as a show of genuine support and the necessary intellectual curiosity to understand our true history in America. White-washing or erasing evidence of our history does not erase the reality of it; it only weakens our ability to build a stronger community honoring the myriad contributions of African-Americans. (from my KC Shepherd's Center June newsletter article https://go.fliplink.me/view/June2026
