June 19, 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln presented the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, slaves finally received word:
THEY WERE FREE.
Black communities in Missouri and beyond annually celebrate this day, Juneteenth, which officially became a federal holiday in 2021.
Freedom is a thread, and a fight, woven through this nation's history and current political climate. Continue to take action to celebrate and ensure true freedom for all through awareness of racial disparities, mobilization, and bold actions necessary to further the fight for social justice and equal opportunity.
