West LA Times

WASHINGTON - On June 19, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement commemorating Juneteenth. President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2021, making the day a federal holiday. Juneteenth marks the anniversary of the emancipation of the last enslaved Black Americans in the United States.

"Today we celebrate Juneteenth, the day the last enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas were informed of their emancipation two full years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Lincoln. On this holiday, over one hundred years in the making, we honor the brave abolitionist movement leaders who believed in the promise of America. That promise is one of hope, of justice, and of freedom. Today we continue the work of those leaders through our work to deliver on that promise and ensure that all Americans are treated equally under the law. Juneteenth reminds us that while we celebrate the progress we have made in our fight for true equality, we must recommit to the ideals of those who fought to end slavery and root out all forms of systemic injustice."

###

Issues: Civil Rights and Social Justice Local Issues

Original source can be found here.