Juneteenth, recognized each year on June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved individuals in Galveston, Texas were finally informed of their freedom—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This year, Chicago’s Juneteenth celebrations include the opening of the Obama Presidential Center—a building that celebrates the legacy of the nation’s first Black president and cultivates space for community, the arts, and civic engagement. HSPRD is proud to be based in Chicago, a city integral to Black history, culture, and civil rights advocacy, and to contribute to the fight for equality in employment, housing, healthcare, and access to justice.
