Scott Statement on Juneteenth

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement recognizing today as Juneteenth, the oldest, nationally-celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States:

"Juneteenth is marked each year on June 19th, when 147 years ago today, Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 Union troops arrived on Galveston Island, Texas and finally enforced President Lincoln's 1862 emancipation proclamation, liberating the last remaining slaves. This event closed a dark chapter in American history that deprived freedom to millions but the fight for equality did not end there. A century later, millions marched on Washington for civil rights, bringing us closer to embodying the ideals embedded in our Constitution that all people are created equal.

"Despite all the gains we have made, we still have a long way to go towards equality for all Americans, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. It is my hope that as Americans commemorate and reflect this Juneteenth, we will recommit ourselves to the goal of equal rights and equal opportunity for all."

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