What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is a remembrance of June 19, 1865, when the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation made its way to the last of the enslaved people in our country in Galveston, Texas, two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed this legislation. Through the years, this day has been commemorated in sharing meals, worshipping, singing, and storytelling as a means to celebrate Black resilience and achievement and preserve the importance of Black history in the full narrative of American history. Juneteenth has been recognized as a federal holiday as of 2021. It provides us the opportunity to celebrate our brothers and sisters in Christ and reflect on how this day may be calling us to more fully realize the greater vision of the Kingdom of God.