Lake Land College Celebrates Juneteenth

For Immediate Release – June 16, 2022

Lake Land College is coming together with the community to celebrate Juneteenth and recognize the struggles and hardships enslaved peoples fought bravely to overcome as well as the challenges people of color still face today.

“We want to take this opportunity to express honor and appreciation for all of the members of our Lake Land College community who have been and continue to be impacted by the events of Juneteenth,” President Josh Bullock said. “It is our pleasure and privilege to be home to a diverse and inclusive community, and we strive to sustain a sense of belonging for everyone.”

Also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day and Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19 each year as a day to honor the culture, lives and accomplishments of the Black community and celebrate this liberation from slavery.

With the original day arriving a full two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, Juneteenth is a special way to honor the brave and inspiring individuals who fought for the rights and privileges they deserve.

“Juneteenth merely represents the starting point in the fight for freedom and justice in the United States for Black people,” Associate Dean of Corrections Garry Scott said. “Well after the last slaves were freed, Black people continued to be subjected to disproportionate practices from lynching, false imprisonment, mass incarceration, unfair housing policies, minimal economic investment, and lack of access to education and healthcare that continues today. What Juneteenth means today, is that we have shifted our focus toward the fight for racial equity and a just society. While it is obvious that while some progress has been made in Black America’s mere 156 years out of bondage, considerable barriers still exist that hinder progress.”

Some of the best ways to support and appreciate Black culture and communities are to learn and educate others about the many cultural and historical accomplishments members of these communities have made and continue to make.

For more information on Juneteenth or inclusion, diversity, equity and belonging at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu/diversity.