Today, Detroit observes Juneteenth, marking the day in 1865 when freedom finally reached the last enslaved Americans, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a day to reflect on a freedom too long delayed, to celebrate the resilience of Black Americans, and to recommit to the work of equity and justice still ahead.

As one of America’s great majority-Black cities, Detroit carries both this history and the responsibility to honor it. I’m proud that as City Council President I sponsored the ordinance, passed in May 2023, that made Juneteenth an official paid holiday for City of Detroit employees.

I encourage all Detroiters to gather, to learn, and to carry the spirit of Juneteenth forward, today and all year long.