ICJIA Celebrates Juneteenth: A Message from the Acting Executive Director

Today ICJIA celebrates Juneteenth in commemoration of the Emancipation Proclamation signed in 1863 and for the freedom that finally came for those still enslaved by the confederates on June 19, 1865. On that day, some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree. Upon their freedom, newly freed Black people in Texas organized a Jubilee Day for the next year and in decades to come, this day came to be known as “Juneteenth.” Juneteenth marks our country’s second Independence Day.

While the end of slavery is an important milestone in our country’s history, we know that it has been followed by over 150 years of continued oppression and inequities. In 2020, the nation experienced unprecedented racial and civil unrest with the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police, as well as Ahmaud Arbery’s fatal shooting by two white men. These events happened during a global pandemic and shut down that gave pause and an opportunity for all to witness these atrocities. As a result, a collective national uprising gave acknowledgement that Black Lives Matter and rendered momentum to those who had fought over the past five decades for Juneteenth to become a national holiday.

This year in Illinois, Juneteenth was voted an official state holiday and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker on June 17, 2021. Illinois became the 47th state to observe Juneteenth as a paid state holiday.

While it is a time for celebrating, we recognize there is much yet to do. As a leading voice in criminal justice reform, we are committed to healing and restoration and building partnerships with historically underserved communities, including those most harmed by the criminal justice system, and steering resources to organizations that have held the burden for failed policies and systemic oppression.

In the spirit of Juneteenth, we will intentionally push forward to advance equity, incorporate authentic community voices, and integrate anti-racist frameworks across all sectors of the criminal justice system.

Yours in Peace and Justice,

Delrice Adams

Acting Executive Director

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority