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(Photo via SUNY Cortland).
The third annual Juneteenth celebration, hosted by the Cortland County Community of Color (C4), took place at Courthouse Park on Saturday.
Dr. Tracy Hudson – an assistant professor of physical education who joined SUNY Cortland in 2021 as a SUNY Diversity Fellow – was the keynote speaker at Saturday’s Juneteenth event.
A Brief History of Juneteenth (via the C4 Instagram page)
On June 19, we reflect on and celebrate the freedom and independence of African-Americans in America and around the world. Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas in 1865 and has since spread across the United States and worldwide. This day is celebrated nationwide as a day of hope, remembrance, and motivation.
Why is Juneteenth celebrated on the 19 of June, instead of September 22, when President (Abraham) Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation? It was on June 18 that the Union Army marched into Galveston, Texas, and enforced President Lincoln’s emancipation. Since then, celebrations in Galveston have been among the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the world.
Now a national holiday, seeing the support of this day from other community members shows Black Americans that they no longer need to struggle or fight for equity alone.
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A video of Dr. Hudson’s speech at Saturday’s Juneteenth event is below:
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Here are some photos from Saturday’s Juneteenth event as well (Note: all photos were provided by SUNY Cortland):
