What is Juneteenth?

What is Juneteenth?

By Crystal T. Robinson Rouse

Juneteenth, is a federal holiday in the United States. Juneteenth, which is short for June Nineteenth, marks the day that United States troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865, took control of the state and informed enslaved black Americans that they were free…two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. This holiday has been commemorated since 1865, however, in 1980, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth a state holiday.



Juneteenth is also known as Emancipation Day, however, across the country, all but one state, recognizes the milestone of Black liberation. This holiday focused on celebration, reflection, assessment, self-improvement, and future planning. is often observed as a day, week, and sometimes a month-long series emphasizing education and achievement through various events that include music, picnics, family gatherings, and other forms of celebration.



Here at Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative, our mission is to build collective power to transform education by changing systems that allow Black and brown children to achieve their goals. We see equity as the central part of our work and continue to strive to become an anti-racist organization through words and action. Prior to it becoming a federal holiday, TCCC took the bold step of recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday for our organization, where staff spent time with family and friends and engaging in Juneteenth activities in the Tri-County. We will continue this tradition and are committed to taking collective action and advocating for equitable, systemic change.

We ask you to join us in a Day of Solidarity in honor of Juneteenth:
In honor of Juneteenth, we stand in solidarity with the Black community to promote racial justice and equality.