Juneteenth

Juneteenth, which recognizes when enslaved individuals in Galveston, TX learned of the end of the war and the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation with the control of the area now in Union army hands on June 19, 1865, more than two months after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, VA, is one of several emancipation dates that people of African descent celebrate in the United States. Many African Americans have celebrated Juneteenth for generations before it became a federally recognized holiday on June 17, 2021. Across the country, and throughout the diaspora, different regional and national celebrations of emancipation take place annually which connect many African diasporic communities. We invite our campus to explore the rich history of African American emancipation celebrations this Juneteenth and to explore the resources here that can contextualize the celebration within larger historic struggles for Black liberation. On October 10, 2023, Governor Laura Kelly announced Kansas will begin designating Juneteenth as a state holiday. Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, will be a paid day off for University employees for the first time.