The Dane County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Thursday night recognizing Juneteenth.
“It is important for us to recognize the African American experience every day, and continue to commit our efforts to creating a more fair and equitable future for all,” said State Representative and County Board Supervisor Shelia Stubbs (District 23) in a statement.
Juneteenth recognizes the date enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their emancipation almost two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The resolution acknowledges that the impacts of slavery are still felt by many African Americans in the United States today, according to a press release from Dane County Board of Supervisors, and African Americans statistically lack equal access to educational, economic, and healthcare opportunities, along with disproportionate and sometimes life-threatening interactions with law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
Kujichagulia Madison Center for Self Determination, a non-profit that promotes African-American cultural and educational events, is inviting the greater Madison community to celebrate Juneteenth 2021 at its annual Juneteenth parade and celebration at Penn Park on Saturday, June 19.
