Juneteenth: A time to reflect, celebrate, educate, and advocate

Juneteenth is a day to honor Black history in the United States. On June 19, 1865, more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, the news of the end of the Civil War and freedom for enslaved Black people finally reached Galveston, Texas.

Today, Juneteenth commemorations are held annually to mark the end of slavery in the U.S. through celebration, education, and advocacy. However, this celebration is complex. While rejoicing in progress, we must continue to educate ourselves about our history to help guide our future. We honor those who fought, endured, and continue to persevere in the fight for equality. We celebrate with the awareness that advocacy is still necessary in America's pursuit of equality and, ultimately, equity. It is today and every day that we recognize the resilience in those that continue this fight daily through their existence and lived experiences.

Visit your black-owned, black-founded, or black-built small businesses this month and the rest of the year to show your support.

Ways to donate:

• ACLU
• NAACP
• NAACP Legal Defense Fund
• NBCDI National Black Child Development Institute
• NOBLE National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
• Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)

Juneteenth is not just about Black History—it is American history.