Rep. Watson Coleman Issues Statement Commemorating Juneteenth
Washington, D.C. (Wednesday, June 19, 2024) — Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) issued the following statement commemorating Juneteenth:
“Today marks 159 years since the news of emancipation finally reached enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas on June 19th, 1865 — more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
“The news was delivered by Union soldiers who fought their way to the furthest reaches of the confederacy, bringing with them news of liberation. And while emancipation officially ended the evil institution of slavery, the struggle for true equality and social justice had only just begun.
“Throughout the 20th century, the freedom that was won on the battlefield withered in the streets. Redlining, Jim Crow, segregation, and anti-Black terrorism all served to stay the hand of justice — removing from our reach the full promise of America.
“And so we marched, organized, protested, and fought for the freedom and equality that is rightfully ours. On the shoulders of giants like Dr. King and John Lewis, Ella Baker and Diane Nash, we stand today still committed to achieving the freedom that was promised at the founding of this country.
“So as we commemorate Juneteenth, let us recommit ourselves to the work that still must be done. As we celebrate the progress that has been made, let us see this anniversary as a call to action — a reminder of what we still must do to achieve liberty and justice for all.”