Happy Juneteenth! Often overlooked, Juneteenth combines words to recognize June 19, an important milestone towards the end of chattel slavery in the United States. On this day, enslaved people in Texas were finally emancipated, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. In 2016, Arizona officially recognized Juneteenth as a holiday, and as of June 2021, Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday (source: Associated Press). This year, Scottsdale Community College observes Juneteenth on Thursday, June 18.
Why is Juneteenth so important?
Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in Confederate-controlled territory. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when 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. (Source: National Museum of African American History & Culture)
Call to Action: What can you do to support our Black and African American community beyond Juneteenth?
SCC/Arizona
- Learn more about SCC Promoting an Inclusive Community (SPAIC) Council and support College and District belongingness work. Contact: [email protected]
- Consider these
stats at SCC (Fall 2024): - 4 out of 114 Residential Faculty identify as Black or African American
- 6 out of 284 Adjunct Faculty identify as Black or African American
- 12 out of 238 Full-time Staff identify as Black or African American
- 6 out of 103 Part-time Staff identify as Black or African American
- 305 students identify as Black or African American (Spring 2026 semester)
- Explore ways to support Black and African American faculty and staff at SCC and around Maricopa.
- Support the SCC Black Student Union.
- Connect with and support local organizations like BASE Arizona and Scottsdale nonprofit Community Celebrating Diversity.
- Pick up a copy of The Arizona Informant newspaper and follow them on Instagram.
Beyond SCC/Maricopa
- Learn more about Juneteenth from the National Museum of African American History & Culture and Black Past.
- Read about the most recent changes to the Voting Rights Act and the potential impacts in Arizona.
- Help make voting more accessible and vote in this election! Ensure all people have equal access to voting.
- Be an ally/accomplice in the fight for racial justice. Activist DeRay McKesson discusses how we can all show up and be in solidarity.
- Attend a Right to be Training to build a world that’s free of harassment.
- Attend Juneteenth 2026 events across the Valley.