Contact: Shrita Sterlin-Hernandez, media@cbcfinc.org
WASHINGTON—A. Shuanise Washington, president and chief executive officer of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF), today released the following statement in recognition of Juneteenth.
“We celebrate Juneteenth to pay respect to our ancestors and those who endured so much for the basic right we enjoy today: freedom.
“On June 19, 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas received word from Union Soldiers that they were free—more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
“Today, we celebrate that defining moment in America’s centuries-long struggle to fulfill its founding promise: ‘that all men are created equal and independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’
“As we reflect on how far we have come as a nation: from generations of slavery and Jim Crow to the second-term of our country’s first African-American president, let us not forget that the journey towards equality for all people continues, particularly in ensuring quality educational opportunities for all of America’s youth—a mission that the Foundation remains committed to pursuing.”
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