Juneteenth
At the June 6, 2024 City Council Meeting, the Council celebrated June 19, 2024 as Juneteenth. On hand to receive the evening's Proclamation was Brisbane resident Quita Highsmith, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Genentech. Hear Mayor O'Connell read the Proclamation here followed by Quita's remarks.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free. This came more than two months after the end of the Civil War and 2½ years after President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves in the Southern states. On June 19, 1866, the first Juneteenth anniversary celebration happened. Since then, celebrations in certain regions of the United States have continued the tradition of honoring this important day. In 1872, a group of former slaves put together $800 and purchased 10 acres of land in Houston, Texas, for the city’s annual Juneteenth celebrations, and they named the space Emancipation Park, where Juneteenth celebrations are still being held. On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday. Read more about Juneteenth here.
Why is it important?
Juneteenth marks a date of major significance in American history and shows us that freedom and racial equality have always been a hard-fought battle for black Americans – a battle that continues to this day.It is a reminder that "nobody is free until everybody is free." It should be celebrated as the day when all Americans were liberated and created equal. It should be a day to reflect, learn, and grow as a nation and as a people.
The Grandmother of Juneteenth
Opal Lee, who's from Fort Worth, Texas, sat in the front row when President Biden, signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law on June 17, 2021. This bill recognizes Juneteenth - the celebration to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States - as a federal holiday. The bill passed the House 415-14 after the Senate unanimously passed the legislation. The moment was a lifetime in the making for Lee, a dedicated activist who has spent decades working to get Juneteenth recognized as a national holiday. The cause is exceptionally personal for Lee, whose home was set on fire by white rioters on Juneteenth in 1939.
The Juneteenth Flag
The original Juneteenth flag was created in 1997 by the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF) founder, Ben Haith. While the Juneteenth flag has the same colors as the American flag, it is a unique symbol of American freedom and Black history.
The original red, white and blue design later underwent revisions in the 2000s, and the date June 19, 1865 was added to the flag. According to the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, the Juneteenth flag includes an exaggerated star of Texas “bursting with new freedom throughout the land.”
Come to the Brisbane Library on Sunday, June 23rd from 11 AM - 2 PM for a special Juneteenth paint experience presented by Black woman-owned Honey Art Studio, where participants will celebrate freedom and unity through art. This event will feature a guided painting session led by inspirational artists, who will help you create a beautiful piece of artwork inspired by the themes of Juneteenth. This program is intended for adults; registration is required.
Supporting Documents
Juneteenth Proclamation 2024 (3 MB) 
