[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 93 (Tuesday, June 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE 147TH ANNIVERSARY OF JUNETEENTH AND THE 19TH ANNUAL 
CELEBRATION OF THE JUNETEENTH FREEDOM AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL IN MEMPHIS, 
                               TENNESSEE

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 19, 2012

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 147th 
anniversary of Juneteenth and the 19th annual celebration of the 
Juneteenth Freedom and Heritage Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. This 
past weekend, we celebrated Juneteenth, which is the oldest known 
celebration of the ending of slavery. Juneteenth commemorates African-
American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement.
  On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, 
Texas, and announced in the town square that all slaves were free. 
Although this came nearly 3 years after the issuance of the 
Emancipation Proclamation, the newly freed men and women rejoiced in 
the streets with jubilant celebrations, and thus, the Juneteenth 
holiday was born. The theme of this year's Memphis Juneteenth festival 
is ``Saluting Black Educators.''
  Memphis has a long history of excellent black educators. During the 
Civil Rights Movement Memphis needed a powerful voice to stand up and 
push for equality in the Memphis City schools. After being denied 
admission to Memphis State University because of her race, Maxine A. 
Smith joined the local chapter of the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People and soon became an agent for change as 
she was instrumental in desegregating Memphis schools. In 2003, 
alongside President Clinton, Maxine Smith received the Freedom Award 
from the National Civil Rights Museum.
  Memphis has had its fair share of outstanding black educators in 
recent years as well. In 2009, the White House honored Melissa Collins 
with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science 
Teaching. Melissa Collins is a second grade teacher in Memphis, and 
during a time in this country where math and science teachers are 
scarce, Melissa Collins exhibits the teaching skills necessary to 
inspire our children to learn. In February of this year, Velma Lois 
Jones received the Drum Majors for Service Award from the White House. 
Velma Lois Jones was the first black classroom teacher ever elected as 
president of the Tennessee Education Association and she was also a 
board member of the National Education Association.
   Mr. Speaker, it is in the spirit of these great individuals that I 
ask my colleagues to join me in observing our nation's 147th 
anniversary of Juneteenth and the celebrations in Memphis. This is a 
time to celebrate the end of slavery in America and to recognize the 
many contributions of African-American citizens.

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