[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 92 (Friday, June 20, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TO HONOR JUNETEENTH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NICK LAMPSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 19, 2003

  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Juneteenth. The 
freedom to have a family. The freedom to live anywhere. The freedom, 
simply, to have a last name. Those freedoms arrived June 19, 1865, to 
black slaves in Texas. While we celebrate Juneteenth in 2003, it is 
helpful to look back at our history to fully appreciate the great 
obstacles that many faced in their struggle to pursue life, liberty, 
and happiness.
  While President Abraham Lincoln technically ended the right to own 
another human being in 1863, most slaves gained their freedom only when 
Union troops took control of Confederate territory and released them 
from forced bondage. It took two and one-half years after the 
Emancipation Proclamation for the Union army to reach Texas. Union 
General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston and announced to the State's 
200,000 slaves that they were free. They immediately erupted into a 
jubilant celebration, much like the Fourth of July.
  Although Juneteenth originated in Texas, it is being celebrated 
throughout our Nation. Today, Juneteenth commemorates African-American 
freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a time for 
reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement 
and for planning the future.
  Part of that assessment means looking at where we stand today. 
Americans, including African-Americans, face ever growing challenges. 
We face economic crisis and a lack of access to healthcare for millions 
of Americans. We must work together to make sure that workers make a 
living wage and that children get the healthcare they need.
  As we look ahead, I challenge all of you to take this opportunity, 
while we honor the rich history of this celebration of freedom, to 
rededicate ourselves to the value of equal opportunity for all 
Americans. That is at the heart of Juneteenth and the American ideal.

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