Message from the Pastors and Mission Committee of First Presbyterian Church Arlington Heights.
Let us all recognize the significance of this holiday.
Why is it called Juneteenth? It’s a combination of June and 19th, the day in 1865 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas found out they’d been freed-after the end of the Civil War and two years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. It was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021. In the beginning, this day was celebrated as Black Americans’ true Independence Day, recognized with large raucous outdoor parties among the formerly enslaved families as many had been separated. They were revolutionary because they were free of the restrictive “Black Codes” enforced in confederate states controlling whether liberated slaves could gather to worship, buy property and vote. If you feel so moved, please take a moment to solemnly reflect on this aspect of our history.
A Prayer for Juneteenth
“God of new opportunity, in faith we know our unmet promises of yesterday and today can, by your Holy Spirit and the willingness of our hands and feet, become a new reality right now and tomorrow. May we be mindful of this Juneteenth and bring justice and opportunity for people of color across this land. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen“
– Written by Rev. Kyle Walker, N4DR Education and Training Committee
