June 19, 2022
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
On Sunday, June 19th, we celebrate Juneteenth to commemorate the emancipation of the last enslaved black people in the United States. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in January of 1863, it was not until June 19, 1865 that the Union Army fully enforced the executive order by freeing the last people enslaved in Galveston, Texas, the westernmost rebelling state.
Last year, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, acknowledging the date’s significance and enshrining it as a national holiday.
Juneteenth is time for us to celebrate the tremendous diversity of our union. It is a time to reaffirm our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Finally, as unionists, it is an opportunity look hard at our core values and to make sure we are doing all we can on the job and in our everyday lives to demand fairness and justice for every person, particularly those communities that have been historically marginalized, like the African American community.
This Juneteenth we are committed to preserving and honoring the history of those who sacrificed and paved the way for progress while understanding the important role that we each have to play to ensure that progress toward fairness and equality continues.
Enjoy your Juneteenth holiday weekend!