Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus hosts Juneteenth program

HARRISBURG, June 14 -- State Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, joined other House members for a Juneteenth celebration in the East Capitol Rotunda.

"Juneteenth is a commemoration of the end of slavery and Black freedom, but that freedom hasn't been a straight line from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement to today,” Bullock said. “The struggle has been belabored and continues today. So, while we celebrate Black excellence, let us also recommit ourselves to do better as a nation and fight for a stronger democracy that ensures the promise of equity and freedom for all."

Members from the Pennsylvania General Assembly joined with guests who performed spoken word poetry and African dance highlighting Black cultural achievements.

Members who spoke at the celebration agreed that while Juneteenth was the start of independence for Black people in America, there is still much work to be done to truly achieve not only equality – but equity.

Although Juneteenth has been celebrated unofficially since its inception, it is a newly added federal holiday that recognizes the day that Texas, the last state to have enslaved people, announced that all enslaved peoples were now free on June 19, 1865.

Gov. Wolf also officially recognized Juneteenth as a holiday in 2019.

Photos: Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus | Photo Gallery (pahouse.com)