Rep Lieu Honors Juneteenth

Statement

Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement in honor of Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. In June of 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, making Juneteenth a Federal holiday.

"Today we honor Juneteenth, a day that marks the end of slavery in the United States. On this day in 1865, the last enslaved African Americans in the United States were finally told they were free. On Juneteenth, we honor and thank the brave leaders of the abolitionist movement whose courage and dedication helped end this horrific chapter in our nation's history. I supported creating this federal holiday because it's important that we as a country make a point to educate one another on America's history, including the deeply shameful legacy of slavery. It is through that continuing education that we can learn from the mistakes of the past, and recommit ourselves to rooting out the systemic racial injustice that persists in our society today."

Source