African American Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Foundation Supports Juneteenth

The California African American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) members proudly pay homage to Juneteenth – a day of reflection, rejoicing, a moment to acknowledge the long civil rights movement – and a historical celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. 

The Emancipation Proclamation, ordered by President Abraham Lincoln, was effective in 1863. Still, freedom didn’t arrive for nearly 4 million enslaved Black people until June 19, 1865, when about 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. 

The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas were free by the executive decree. For over a century, this day became known as “Juneteenth” among the Black community. Now a federal holiday, it recognizes the contributions and accomplishments of members of the Black community.

When Juneteenth was enshrined as a holiday in 2021, awareness of the monumental moment in America’s history increased dramatically. The Harvard Business Review (HBR) reported that just 41% of American workers knew about Juneteenth before 2020. The racial reckoning after the death of George Floyd pushed that percentage to 71% as of May 2021. 

HBR explained in its survey that the shift expanded from 67% to 93% for Black Americans. Awareness of the destruction of Black Wall Street during the 1921 Tulsa Massacre has also increased dramatically since its 100th anniversary this past May, HBR shared.

“Please join the California African American Chamber of Commerce and businesses across the state in commemorating Juneteenth for the rest of this month and honoring those who have worked with the courage to seek liberty, justice, peace, and dignity for all. Our passionate members continue to reflect on the struggle for equal civil rights, a call for the collective denouncement of racial injustice, and the dismantling of inequities in all forms, including in the business sector.”