About Juneteenth

The Seventh Trumpet, John Rodriguez, 2024

Juneteenth events honor the progress of African Americans in the U.S. since the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 while continuing to recognize the ongoing efforts to overcome systemic injustices and inequities Black communities face.

Juneteenth, also called Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day, or Emancipation Day, is the designated holiday commemorating the freedom of the slaves in the United States, traditionally observed annually on June 19th. President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had officially outlawed slavery in Texas and the other states in rebellion against the Union almost two and a half years earlier on January 1, 1863.

Enforcement of the Proclamation generally relied on the advancement of the Union troops. The anniversary of the June 19,1865 date recognizes the day that the announcement by Union Army Major General Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom from slavery and the end of the Civil War was delivered to Galveston, Texas.

Juneteenth is celebrated throughout the nation and as a state holiday in Michigan. On May 17, 2021, Juneteenth was officially recognized as an annual holiday in the City of Ann Arbor via resolution by the Ann Arbor city legislature. On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed Juneteenth into law as a federal holiday.

In organizing the Juneteenth Symposium

our hope is to enrich the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor communities by underscoring the importance of Juneteenth, ensuring all students, staff, faculty, and residents feel a deep sense of belonging. We hope you can join us for our celebration while we advance our educational mission as a university and seek to empower the community in a longstanding annual tradition to promote Black liberation and excellence.