The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would make Juneteenth a national holiday. The measure passed the U.S. Senate earlier this week and is expected to be signed by President Biden.
"What I see here today is racial divide crumbling, being crushed this day...under a momentous vote that brings together people that understand the value of freedom," said Houston-area Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Juneteenth recognizes the date of June 19th, 1865, when news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Galveston, Texas.
"I introduced this to make Juneteenth a federal holiday to commemorate the end of chattel slavery, America's original sin, and to bring about celebration...crushing racial divide down to a point of unity to this earth," said Congresswoman Jackson Lee.
The measure had passed in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday on a unanimous vote. Senator John Cornyn of Texas was the sponsor of the bill.
"There's no better time than the present, particularly given the strife we've seen...the level of distrust, for example, between law enforcement and the communities they serve...than to acknowledge our nation's history and to learn from it," said Sen. Cornyn.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD
Facebook | Twitter