JUNETEENTH: A CELEBRATION OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE

Juneteenth, observed on June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of slavery, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It marks the true enforcement of freedom for over 250,000 enslaved African Americans in Texas, making it a powerful symbol of delayed justice fulfilled1.

We celebrate Juneteenth to honor the resilience of those who endured bondage and to reflect on the ongoing journey toward equality. It is a day of remembrance, rejoicing, and recommitment to justice.

For Christians, Juneteenth echoes biblical themes of liberation, restoration, and the Imago Dei, the belief that all are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Like the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, Juneteenth reminds us that God hears the cries of the oppressed and delivers in due time (Exodus 3:7). It is both a historical milestone and a spiritual call to love, justice, and unity

Finally, I have connected Juneteenth to a few biblical themes of liberation, justice, and restoration. Here are a few verses:

Galatians 5:1 (KJV) – “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Isaiah 61:1 – “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me… to proclaim liberty to the captives.”

Exodus 3:7-8 – God declares, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people… and I am come down to deliver them.”

John 8:36 – “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Amos 5:24 – “But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”

Psalm 146:7 – “The LORD looseth the prisoners.”

Micah 6:8 – “What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Each of these scriptures affirms that freedom, both physical and spiritual, is a part of God’s heart. Juneteenth is a sacred reminder that divine justice may be delayed, but it is never denied.

Bishop Charlene M. Jamison

North Carolina Diocese Jurisdictional Prelate