President Buxton: Observing Juneteenth - Time of celebration and reflection
Durham Tech Community,
Yesterday, President Biden signed a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday – the first federal holiday created since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established in 1983. Now, this underrecognized day of commemoration will receive the long overdue attention it deserves.
This year, Juneteenth marks 156 years since the last enslaved African Americans were freed in Galveston, Texas, by Union generals more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln.
While many of us will celebrate Juneteenth this weekend - also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Liberation Day - it is also a reminder that the work of becoming a more perfect union is never done. While Juneteenth marks in a sense the final days of slavery, it was followed by Jim Crow laws, “redlining” housing and banking policies that prevented the accumulation of wealth by people and families of color, poll taxes and ongoing efforts to prevent access to the ballot.
Our history is a reminder that progress is hard won and never assured. If, as Dr. King said, the moral arc of the universe is long but bends toward justice, it is because individuals commit and act to make it so.
At Durham Tech, we are committed to dismantling systemic racism and creating an anti-racist institution that provides equal access, a welcoming and inclusive environment, and equitable resources and success for all. In our Equity Action Plan released last fall, we outlined our steps for improving and expanding our services to meet these goals as we lead this work in higher education and in our region. We honor Juneteenth by celebrating progress, recognizing the work, and planning for the future.
This year on Juneteenth, please take time to learn and celebrate the history of Juneteenth and to engage in Juneteenth activities in our area this weekend in commemoration of this historic day.
J.B. Buxton,
Durham Tech President