Saturday, June 19, 2021, marks the 156th anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States, otherwise known as "Juneteenth." Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 - the date when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declares "that all persons held as slaves" shall be freed. Juneteenth is a day of significance to Black and African communities who experienced slavery for years; this day commemorates the push for freedom and Black liberation in the United States.
The importance of this date centers Black and African communities, the emphasis of Black/African-American history in the United States and the current climate which highlights current inequities that still exists within Black and African communities. The holiday also known as Black Independence Day and Emancipation Day empowers our Rutgers University-Newark community to reflect critically on how the City of Newark, decedents of Black/African ancestry, continues to transcend influence of culture and freedom in our multiple communities and promote continued enrichment of learning through our students.