A Message About Juneteenth
By The Office of the President | Jun 16, 2022
For Black Americans, Juneteenth has been long celebrated as a pivotal point in American history. However, now that it is a federal holiday, Americans as a collective can contextualize the meaning of why so many people rejoice annually.
When slavery was immediately abolished in most Confederate states by the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, it would be some two and half years later—on June 19, 1865—before enslaved people in Galveston, Texas would learn of their freedom with the enforcement of the Proclamation by a Union General.
As the world stands ready for a monumental 21st-century shift in a movement against hate, racism, and inequity, Juneteenth’s designation as a federal holiday is essential to assuring that Black history is counted as a considerable part of American history.
The promise of freedom has yet to be fully realized in the United States—especially for the Black community and other marginalized people. It is this premise that many Americans have rallied and protested to highlight.
Juneteenth celebrations afford opportunities to reflect, commemorate, and honor the lost lives of the hundreds of thousands of slaves and the lives of children who were sold, helping fuel the horrific legacy of broken Black families.
May we all reflect on and be hopeful for the numerous changes necessary for equality, the eradication of racism, and the strength we all need to meet the enormous challenges ahead.
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Contact: Dawn S. Walker
917.439.9666 | 347.533.2071
dawn.walker@downstate.edu
About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is the borough's only academic medical center for health education, research, and patient care. It is a 342-bed facility serving the healthcare needs of New York City and Brooklyn's 2.6 million residents. University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB) is Downstate's teaching hospital, backed by an outstanding medical school's expertise and world-class academic center research facilities. More than 800 physicians, representing 53 specialties and subspecialties—many of them ranked as tops in their fields—comprise Downstate's staff.
In addition to high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis (kidney diseases)—and offering the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn, among many other distinctive programs—Downstate also sponsors a major learning center for young children with developmental disorders and disabilities. In addition to UHB, Downstate comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, a School of Public Health, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative, including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively. For more information, visit www.downstate.edu or follow us on Twitter at @sunydownstate.