Juneteenth

June 17, 2025

Dear all,

This Thursday we observe Juneteenth, a federal holiday sometimes referred to as our country’s second Independence Day. It marks the day—June 19, 1865—that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned they were free. That day Union soldiers arrived to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued by President Lincoln two years earlier, in 1863.

Here are some ways to celebrate Juneteenth locally. On Thursday, from 6:30–8:00 p.m., Mayor Yvonne Flowers will join the nonprofit organization Celebrating the African Spirit (CAS) in Waryas Park, at the western end of Main Street along the river, to dedicate a new memorial honoring the Hudson Valley’s enslaved population and their descendants. CAS will host a reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Center Pavilion, adjacent to the park at 75 N. Water St. Then on Saturday, June 21, Poughkeepsie’s Inaugural Juneteenth Parade will step off from Main and Market streets at 12:30 p.m.

Juneteenth is a day to celebrate freedom and remember our past. You might be inspired by this added information about the holiday from the Museum of African American History and Culture, reminding us how precious and fragile freedom can be. Enjoy the day!

Elizabeth H. Bradley, President
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
@EHBVassar