Honoring History and the Fight for Freedom this Juneteenth
As we prepare to celebrate a relatively new federal holiday this weekend - Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day - I encourage each and every one of you to take a moment and reflect on the significant struggles we as a nation have faced, both centuries ago and today.
Juneteenth commemorates the day when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were finally notified that they were free from bondage. Unfortunately, freedom from physical slavery didn't mean freedom from oppression, which is why this holiday is so timely and vital nearly one hundred and sixty years later.
While Juneteenth has been celebrated in various parts of the country since 1865, it became a federal holiday last year when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. Although his Presidential Proclamation reminds us of "the terrible toll of slavery on our country," it also reminds us of our "capacity to heal, hope, and emerge" from troubling times.
At the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (GCVHCS), we honor the long and painful history of Black Americans overcoming centuries of struggle and injustice. We vow to fight alongside all Americans for true equality and equity today.
The GCVHCS, a premiere medical organization along the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast, is committed to ensuring the fair and equal treatment of each and every man and woman who has served our great country, and champions the cause of diversity and inclusion in practice and thought.
So, this Juneteenth, let us all reflect on how far our country has come while acknowledging our continued fight for equality, equity, and full inclusion. Let us all summon the courage to acknowledge our painful past and find hope in our collective future.
Sincerely,
Bryan C. Matthews
Director
Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System