Sewell hosts virtual discussion on Juneteenth

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell hosted a “Terri Talks” virtual discussion on Thursday entitled “Juneteenth: A Day of Celebration and a Call to Action.” Sewell was joined by Tuscaloosa County NAACP president Lisa Young. The conversation focused on the history of Juneteenth, the celebrations occurring in our community, and the path forward in the continued struggle for full racial equality. 

“Even though the emancipation was passed by Lincoln two years before Juneteenth,” said Sewell, “we still celebrate the last among us who found out about it.” 

Juneteenth, short for “June Nineteenth,” marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the emancipation proclamation. 

Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021.