Juneteenth, also called Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the final end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers delivered the message in Galveston, Texas, that the Emancipation Proclamation signed on January 1, 1893, was now enforceable and the remaining enslaved people of African descent were freed. In 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday.

As celebrations take place across the country to remember this day, may we be reminded of the opportunity we all have every day, to treat each other with dignity and respect.