Pelosi Statement on the 157th Juneteenth Celebration

Statement

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement today in recognition of the 157th celebration of Juneteenth, which marks federal officials' enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865:

"Juneteenth is both a celebration of freedom and a moment to reflect on the horrendous injustice that has stained the soul of our nation. Today, as Americans commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Galveston 157 years ago, we remember the generations of heroic civil rights leaders in every state, city and hamlet who have advanced the ongoing struggle to realize America's highest ideals of justice, equality and opportunity for all.

"Last year, driven by the persistent leadership of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congress took bipartisan, bicameral action to consecrate Juneteenth as a federal holiday. House Democrats know that this recognition must also come with transformative action. Inspired by the millions of Americans who have peacefully taken to the streets bearing witness to the truth that Black Lives Matter, we are fighting to root out the systemic bigotry that still plagues our nation, including through the House-passed George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. House Democrats have led the charge to restore the foundation of our democracy and uphold Americans' sacred right to vote through our For The People Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. And guided by President Biden's vision, we placed justice at the heart of our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law -- delivering historic investments to clean up the legacy pollution and unsafe drinking water that continue to disproportionately harm communities of color.

"These actions alone cannot right the painful wrongs of our history, but they can move us closer to forging a more perfect union. In the words of Congressman John Lewis, the Conscience of the Congress: "Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.' Today, and every day, let us continue striving to build a brighter, more just future for all of our children."

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