6.19.22 – APFA Commemorates Juneteenth National Independence Day

Sunday, June 19, 2022

APFA Commemorates
Juneteenth National Independence Day

Juneteenth, short for “June 19”, marks the day when federal troops officially arrived in Galveston, Texas, to end slavery in the United States. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed two and a half years earlier, slavery remained largely unaffected in Texas.

On June 19, 1865, upon entering Galveston, TX, General Orders No. 3. was issued:

Juneteenth came to national prominence in 2020 during nationwide protests after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were killed during encounters with law enforcement. This year,
the federal holiday – established in 2021 by President Joe Biden – will be observed on Monday, June 20. Juneteenth is the latest federal holiday created since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 1983. Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, or Emancipation Day.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants recognizes the 157th anniversary of Juneteenth as a day when America reflects on a pivotal point at the end of slavery. It is a time to celebrate and educate from where we were to where we are today. While we still have much work to do, we pause to commemorate this day and continue fighting for equality and justice.