[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 15, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H5593]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH

  (Ms. PRESSLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, my family and I have celebrated 
Juneteenth for decades, but this year marks only the second year that 
Juneteenth will be observed as a Federal holiday.
  Some may wonder what is the significance of this day and why is 
national recognition long overdue and notable?
  It matters, because as we celebrate Juneteenth--the emancipation of 
my enslaved ancestors--it is a truth-telling reminder of our Nation's 
history and founding, but also of what is possible.
  When enslaved Black people and allies began the work of abolition, 
many considered the goal of freedom an improbable or impossible one, 
but because of their imaginations and sacrifice it did happen.
  While we recognize that our fight for equity and justice continues 
today, on this day, we celebrate the Black family, our culture, our 
melanin, our resilience, our brilliance, and our joy. We affirm our 
humanity. We are more than hashtags, sobering statistics, deficits, 
disparities, and gaps. We are more than our labor, the resistance, and 
justice-seekers.
  From the heart of Texas to kitchen tables in Roxbury, we celebrate 
the dedicated coalition of Black folks who organize to make this 
celebration a Federal holiday.
  Black lives matter. Black healing matters. Black joy matters. Happy 
Juneteenth.

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