Today, we celebrate Juneteenth. This was the day in 1865 when news of emancipation and the Civil War’s end finally reached slaves living in Texas. Juneteenth became an official state holiday as far back as 1980 in Texas, the first state to designate it as such, when Governor Bill Clements took action ahead of his time. 45 states have followed suit over the past 40 years.
Now, another great Texan, Senator John Cornyn, has filed a bill to make Juneteenth an official federal holiday. Juneteenth is a great reminder to us all that freedom is a sacred, God-given right.
Now, more than ever, all Texans and Americans should unite to celebrate this important day in our history. Any day that upholds the American ideals of liberty and justice for all is worth remembering and celebrating, and this year’s Juneteenth could not come at a better time.
