As prepared.
Good afternoon colleagues and friends. It’s wonderful to see you all today as we celebrate Juneteenth as a Holy Cross community committed to faith, justice and a more equitable tomorrow.
I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and the Office of Multicultural Education for planning this wonderful luncheon—the first at Holy Cross—and inviting me to speak. It’s an honor to be here.
On June 19, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to deliver these prophetic words: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
Officially termed “General Orders Number 3,” the words were stark; there was no eloquence or penitence. In fact, the newly freed Americans were encouraged to “remain quietly at their homes” and work for their former captors; and were warned that “their idleness” would not be supported.
You see … Juneteenth, as the celebration came to be known, was already delayed by more than two years. President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. In it, he demanded that Southern states abandon their rebellion or their slaves would be freed. When the Confederacy failed to comply, Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1963.
Ironically, this Proclamation initially freed slaves in Confederate states only. However, by the end of the Civil War, the Proclamation had prepared the nation to end slavery everywhere. The 13th Amendment, which officially abolished slavery in the United States, was passed on December 6, 1865.
So what do we celebrate on Juneteenth? Freedom, for the enslaved, of course; and the end of one of the most shameful chapters in our shared American history.
And hope. Today we celebrate hope.
Indeed, the 250,000 slaves in Texas were held unjustly for years. There is significant evidence that slave owners withheld news of emancipation, or delayed sharing it until after the spring planting.
Yet when June 19, 1865 finally arrived, the slaves embraced the same hope that had sustained them for generations, and joyfully celebrated the freedom that was now theirs.
Juneteenth reminds us that history is not just. It is not fair. But it calls us, as does our Catholic faith, to believe that we can right the most egregious wrongs and continue to make things better.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “The line of progress is never straight. For a period a movement may follow a straight line and then it encounters obstacles and the path bends. It is like curving around a mountain when you are approaching a city. Often it feels as though you were moving backwards, and you lose sight of your goal: but in fact you are moving ahead, and soon you will see the city again, closer by.”
As we stand on this mountain, and look toward the city, we must celebrate the strength and resilience of Black Americans and acknowledge the long and arduous road we have traveled. We must recognize that justice and equality has been delayed for far too many … for far too long.
But so too can we celebrate forward progress and inclusive optimism. We can identify the bends and obstacles and help one another around them. We can honor the moral and spiritual evolution we have experienced as a nation by ensuring its furtherance through our words and actions.
So let’s continue to embrace our Jesuit Catholic faith and continue to walk with the marginalized. Let’s re-examine our history—in America, within Worcester and at Holy Cross. Let’s read Diane Brady’s insightful book, Fraternity, about Fr. John Brooks’ recruitment of the College’s first Black students. Let’s watch Class of 2022 graduate Meah Austin’s extraordinary presentation on the experiences of Black women at Holy Cross. It’s on YouTube and it’s well worth your time.
Let’s support our local Black-owned businesses in Worcester, and visit the City’s newly dedicated Black History Trail.
Let’s set aside time on Juneteenth to read, watch or listen to new perspectives on Black history and Black life in America. And take a moment to sit quietly and contemplate the role each of us plays in advancing social justice and fostering belonging at Holy Cross.
We can honor this day, and all who were freed ON this day, by heeding God’s call and rising to meet the challenges of our times. I look forward to our work ahead.
Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce Tomicka Wagstaff, Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Thank you and Happy Juneteenth.