Juneteenth Day
Dear Oregon Tech community,
June 19, 2022, marks the second official federal recognition of the Juneteenth holiday, commemorating the final announcement of the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans in the United States. It is the oldest Black American holiday observance in the United States, and we commemorate Black American freedom through official recognition.
The Emancipation Proclamation ended chattel slavery on January 1, 1863, but it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger read General Orders No. 3 to the people of Galveston, Texas, that more than 250,000 enslaved Black Americans in Texas were finally free. Juneteenth is also known as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, and Freedom Day.
While each year Juneteenth serves as an opportunity for reflection, it also serves as a reminder that we must continue educating ourselves and striving toward a more just and equitable society, not just one day or one month a year, but every day.
Our university will be closed on Friday, June 17, 2022, in honor of the Juneteenth Day.
Sincerely,
+++++++++++++++
Nagi G. Naganathan, Ph.D., ASME Fellow
President
Oregon Institute of Technology