Celebrating Juneteenth

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas with the delayed news of the Emancipation Proclamation. That day, two years later than intended, more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as Juneteenth by the newly freed people in Texas.

Congress passed The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act in June 2021. The following day, the Senate passed the bill with unanimous consent. President Biden signed the bill into law on June 17 – two days before Juneteenth.

In observance of Juneteenth, offices at Hardin-Simmons University will be closed on Monday, June 20, 2022. Offices will return to normal hours on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

To celebrate the holiday, a three-day Juneteenth festival will take place at Stevenson Park, sponsored and hosted by multiple local organizations. Three days of educational events, food, music, gatherings, and fun are open to the whole community.