Erie County Times

In honor of Juneteenth National Freedom Day, Gov. Tom Wolf met with the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs at his home in Harrisburg to celebrate what he calls the true ending to slavery.

According to a release on Tuesday, Wolf signed legislation on June 19, 2019 to commemorate the holiday. On June 19, 1865 union soldiers marked the end of the Civil War by reaching the furthest point south in Galveston, Texas to spread the word that the war had ended. Slaves there did not yet know that they had been freed two years prior, as they were unaware of the Emancipation Proclamation or the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

“The fight for true freedom for all in America certainly didn’t end with the Emancipation Proclamation. It didn’t end with women’s suffrage,” Gov. Wolf said. “It didn’t end with the civil rights movement. This is an important piece of our history – how many Americans have been marginalized and forced to fight for their rights. When we celebrate Juneteenth, we honor that history, and we honor all of the people who have stood up, time and time again, to demand that our nation live up to the ideals inherent in the Declaration of Independence: freedom, liberty and equality for all.”

Commission Executive Director LaDeshia Maxwell said she was proud of the work that the Wolf Administration has done to educate Pennsylvanians about Juneteenth.

“We encourage everyone no matter your race and ethnic background to attend a local Juneteenth event, so we can continue to build a commonwealth and nation that accurately depicts history, acknowledges our wrongs, and seeks ways to foster and build equity and fairness for all Pennsylvanians – now and in the future,” Maxwell said.