Political Quotes

“June 19th, Juneteenth as it is called, is a unique people's holiday. It is the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day that union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865, with news that the war had ended and that all slaves were now free, 2\1/2\ years after the Emancipation Proclamation. We do not know why it took so long for the news to get to Texas, but we do know that the military general order which was posted that day read in part, and I quote ``The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with the proclamation from the executive of the United States, all slaves are free.'' The news spread like wildfire, and spontaneous celebrations sprang up throughout the State and were repeated each June 19th of each following year. We continue to celebrate Juneteenth because of the importance of slavery in American history and because the lingering effects of slavery remain a part of the legacy of our country. The legacy of slavery continues to play a role in our daily lives and politics. The vast racial disparities in employment, income, home ownership, education, voter registration and participation, health status and mortality all continue to exist.…”