Editor,
Attending my first Juneteenth celebration in Foster City, co-sponsored by the Foster City Association of Black Residents and Island United Church, was both inspiring and educational. I came to show support for the Black community, but I left with a deeper appreciation of why Juneteenth matters to every American.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The celebration brought together elected officials, community leaders, nonprofit organizations and residents in a spirit of inclusion and civic engagement.
Councilmember Phoebe Shin Venkat observed that Foster City was founded as an inclusive community, a hallmark of a thriving one. The Rev. Michael Cronin offered an inspiring invocation, and Alexis Lewis helped organize a memorable event that honored both history and hope.
I was especially moved to learn about Opal Lee, whose tireless advocacy helped make Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021. Her example reminds us that determined citizens can make a lasting difference. At a time when debates over how we teach and remember our history have become controversial, that lesson feels especially important.
My first Juneteenth reinforced that remembering our history is essential to protecting our democracy. When communities come together to acknowledge the past honestly, they strengthen the values of equality, freedom and mutual respect that unite us.
Although this was my first Juneteenth celebration, it will not be my last.Â
Dr. Miriam Zimmerman
Belmont
The letter writer is a professor emerita, Notre Dame de Namur University.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.