In Honor of Juneteenth

This Saturday, June 19, marks the 156^th anniversary of the official end of slavery in the United States, a day that has become known as Juneteenth. Long-celebrated in the African American community, Juneteenth National Independence Day became a federal holiday this week.

The emancipation of enslaved African Americans played a tremendous role in our nation’s growth and progress, ushering in a period of great hope for unity and equality. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still work to be done on the road to a more inclusive America. To that end, FAU will host a special virtual event today, Friday, June 18. Juneteenth Liberating Conversation “America on Fire: The Continued Struggle for Liberation” will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. and will include a panel of activists, scholars and student leaders who will discuss the history of emancipation from 1865 to the modern day. To register, visit tinyurl.com/faujuneteenth2021. For more information, contact dbynes@fau.edu at the Center for IDEAs: Office of Black Student Success and Initiatives.

As one of the most culturally diverse institutions in the nation, FAU is known as a place where every student has the opportunity to succeed, and we’ve very proud of that. I invite you to visit www.fau.edu/diversity-platform to learn more about the university’s ongoing efforts for diversity, inclusion and equity.