June 18, 2020
In recognition of Juneteenth, the Association of Legal Administrators has declared this Friday, June 19, an official holiday for staff members. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the Union Army informed the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, of their freedom — nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued and about two months after the end of the Civil War.
This holiday has been widely celebrated in Black communities ever since, but official observances are lacking. Forty-seven states — including ALA’s home base of Illinois — and the District of Columbia recognize the holiday, though many do not close government offices on June 19; it is not yet a federal holiday. ALA is doing our part to bring wider recognition to this holiday.
Interim ALA Executive Director April L. Campbell, JD, has encouraged staff to use this holiday productively. “My hope and desire is that you will take this time to reflect, learn and take action in your individual journeys for justice,” she says.
Here are some Juneteenth resources our staff and the legal management professionals we serve may find helpful:
- Juneteenth: Our Other Independence Day, Smithsonian Magazine
- The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
- Video: 155th Anniversary of Juneteenth with Sherrilyn Ifill, President of NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
- Video (for kids): Juneteenth | All About the Holidays, PBS
- Major Law Firms Announce Plans to Close for Juneteenth, Law.com
- The State of Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession, Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession
- Committee on Diversity and Inclusion resources, alanet.org
Consider virtually attending these events to celebrate:
- June 19: A New Freedom: Black Voices Honoring Juneteenth, Chicago Children's Choir
- June 19–20: Juneteenth: A Celebration of Resilience, NMAAHC