Juneteenth serves as a time for celebration and reflection. It commemorates the end of slavery in our nation and the start of a new age for Black Americans.
Sunday marked the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth. While Juneteenth has been commemorated for well over a century, today (June 20) America observes its second Juneteenth federal holiday.
This year, the University of Houston’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) hosted a gallery in the Student Center South, highlighting historical facts and information on Juneteenth.
The display offered historical facts and images to members of the campus community.
The display offered historical facts and images to members of the campus community.
What began as a celebration in Texas has become a national holiday honoring Black freedom.
What began as a celebration in Texas has become a national holiday honoring Black freedom.
The Juneteenth Reflection Wall captured hand-written notes from those who visited the exhibit and encouraged participants share information on Black-owned businesses.
The Juneteenth Reflection Wall captured hand-written notes from those who visited the exhibit and encouraged participants share information on Black-owned businesses.
In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday; President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021.
In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday; President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021.
The official Juneteenth flag, seen in the center of the display, was red, white and blue displaying that all American slaves and their descendants were Americans.
The official Juneteenth flag, seen in the center of the display, was red, white and blue displaying that all American slaves and their descendants were Americans.
The exhibit, which ran June 16-20, provided a platform to help members of the Cougar Community recognize the significance of this special day, which holds particular significance in the greater Houston region.
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston declaring that all enslaved people were emancipated. The declaration came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, further setting into motion the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Texans.
Juneteenth offers an opportunity to pause and contemplate the concept of freedom according to Linda Reed, interim director of UH’s African American Studies Program.
“I think it’s great that Juneteenth is now more familiar to most Americans and that it is a federal holiday. It’s also important to talk about this day and to understand that while Juneteenth is symbolic of the end of slavery, there were many challenges ahead for enslaved populations.”
- Varselles Cummings, director, UH Center for Diversity and Inclusion
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