Press Releases

Today, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Marcia L. Fudge released the following statement on the 149^th observance of Juneteenth:

“Today, we remember the day enslaved people in America learned they were free. More than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved individuals in Galveston, Texas received news that the Civil War was over and that by law, they were no longer considered chattel. Though jubilant celebrations followed this announcement of hard won liberation, people of African descent would endure more than a century of struggle in the fight for complete freedom in America. Many of these battles for civil and human rights and equal protection under the law continue today.

“As we celebrate Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day and Emancipation Day, we reflect on the legacy of those who endured and fought to end slavery in America. And as we celebrate the 50^th anniversaries of Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 this year, we recognize that their courage laid the foundation upon which the Civil Rights Movement in America was built.

“In honor of  today’s Juneteenth celebrations happening across the country, the Congressional Black Caucus reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that injustice and inequity have no place in our society.  We also firmly stand with all who continue working daily to advance freedom and equality for individuals around the world.”

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