President Wippman’s Writings & Remarks

Observing Juneteenth

June 17, 2022

Tags Public Statements

Dear Members of the Hamilton Community,

Juneteenth, which last year became a federal holiday, this year falls on Monday, June 20. It is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the day when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their freedom, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation. Although slavery did not end in the United States until adoption of the 13th Amendment in December 1865, Juneteenth has become a celebration of emancipation.

It took nearly 90 years for this country to free enslaved African Americans and another 150 years before Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday. As the horrific shootings in Buffalo and so many other recent events remind us, acts of hatred and anti-Black racism remain all too common, and it is incumbent on all of us to work together to oppose bigotry and discrimination as best we can.

Monday also marks World Refugee Day, which the United Nations recognizes as an opportunity to build empathy and understanding for the plight of those forced to flee their homes as a result of persecution, conflict, and humanitarian crises.

Finally, the 10th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was celebrated earlier this week. DACA is a program that directly benefits some of our students (and therefore the College) and countless other students around the country.

David