Juneteenth Day proclaimed in Illinois

June 19 was proclaimed as Juneteenth Day in Illinois to commemorate the emancipation of slaves in the United States. The proclamation was issued by Gov. Bruce Rauner.

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and slaves had been freed. Texas was the last state to get the news of the Emancipation Proclamation.

“It is a privilege to celebrate Juneteenth with our African American communities and work with them to encourage entrepreneurial development and promote a greater appreciation of the contributions that African Americans make to our culture and our commerce,” Rauner said.

“Many of those freed by Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation traveled to Illinois hoping for the promise of jobs and economic opportunity,” he said. 

“They became an integral part of our state, which was the first to ratify the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery in our nation.”

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating abolition. The observance is designed to offer a time to reflect on freedom and affirm the nation’s belief in economic equality.