Today, Kathy Manning issued a statement on the anniversary of Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

“Today is Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On this day in 1865, two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves, Union soldiers delivered the delayed news to the people of Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War was over and that slavery in the United States had at long last been abolished.

As we commemorate this important anniversary, it is important for us to recognize the continued economic and societal disparities that persist in communities across our nation. We have a responsibility to remember, and right, wrongs of our past.

We must honor those who came before us by driving our country forward and continuing the pursuit of justice, equality, and opportunity for all. From the neighborhoods in our communities to the halls of Congress, we must strive each day for a country that not only reflects, but celebrates our diversity and shared values of equality and justice.”