We want to recognize the importance of today – Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day – the oldest national celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, Union Soldiers landed in Galveston, TX with the news that the enslaved were now free – two and a half years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation as there were few Union Soldiers in TX to enforce the Executive Order.
This holiday has been celebrated since then and for generations by the African American community and is becoming more widely celebrated this year amidst protests and uprisings in every state across the country as people cry out for social justice and equality. Congress is working on introducing a bill to make it a national holiday. Unfortunately, most people didn’t learn about Juneteenth, the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 or the Rosewood Massacre of 1923 as a part of American History in school. We encourage each of you reading this to spend time researching and learning about these important events in our nation’s history.
At Hahn Mason, we are working to increase diversity and ensure our company is a welcoming environment for all employees. We can do better and are focused on creating a vibrant workplace because of its diversity and a place where all employees thrive.