UK College of Nursing commemorates Juneteenth 2021
“We recognize June 19, Juneteenth, as a holiday to serve as a historical reminder of the vestiges of oppression, racism and injustice that are still a very real and present experience for black people in America and worldwide.
Juneteenth commemorates the official end of slavery in the United States. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, African Americans were not officially freed until two years later – June 19, 1865 –which we recognize today as Juneteenth.
Across the country, this holiday will be marked by celebrations, awareness-raising messaging and demonstrations in recognition of the many rivers crossed to achieve the very basic of freedoms for African Americans and the continued quest for emancipation.
In recognizing Juneteenth, we at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing are encouraging progress toward conscientious actions by each of us, every day to catalyze the spirit of freedom and work towards true racial equality and justice for all.
To learn more about Juneteenth, visit https://juneteenth.com/history/.”
-Janie Heath, Dean and Warwick Professor of Nursing
University of Kentucky College of Nursing
Last year, the University of Kentucky announced that it would be observing Juneteenth as a university of holiday and will be closed for the first time in observance of the holiday on June 18, 2021.
