Juneteeth Message From St. Louis License Collector

Press release from the City of St. Louis:

June 19, 2020

As our nation reckons with the impacts of systemic racism - from slavery to mass incarceration - we in the St. Louis community take this moment to commemorate where our journey to freedom as Black people began.

On June 19, 1865 - a group of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that they were free from the institution of slavery. But, woefully, this was almost two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, with an effective date of January 1, 1863.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery; and the License Collector’s Office stands with all who continue to fight for racial equality & justice.

We honor those who struggled and fought before us, so that we may be free. We celebrate Black Excellence, Black Joy and Black Freedom. and we commit to the work for all people of all colors in all zip codes.

On this day, June 19, 2020, the License Collector's Office recognizes Juneteenth as a day of remembrance for all that was sacrificed for the future we are still building. Accordingly, we will close our office at noon.

We encourage America, and specifically St. Louis, to join us in this work to further inclusivity, diversity, and accountability. Join us as we listen, learn and most importantly, take action in our communities, to once and for all dismantle ALL forms of systemic racism.

This press release was produced by the City of St. Louis. The views expressed here are the author’s own.