[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H4604-H4605]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Juneteenth, a 
celebration that commemorates the ultimate implementation of the 
Emancipation Proclamation.
  Mr. Speaker, 150 years ago, on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers marched 
into Galveston, Texas, with the news that the Civil War had ended and 
the enslaved were now free. Two and a half years after President 
Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, its promise was realized 
at least.
  Juneteenth is a celebration of African American freedom, and it also 
serves as a reminder to constantly strive for the expression and 
extension of the American idea--one of freedom, independence, and 
liberty.
  This year, I had the honor to join in the 40th annual Buffalo 
Juneteenth Festival, the third largest in the Nation. People of all 
backgrounds partake in cultural activities that promote and preserve 
the African American heritage.
  Juneteenth has established its position as an important tradition in 
western New York and in neighborhoods, towns, and cities throughout 
America.

[[Page H4605]]

  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Juneteenth to celebrate our 
Nation's rich African American history.

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