Presidential Message on Juneteenth
June 12, 2006
I send greetings to all those observing Juneteenth.
President Lincoln called the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 the
"central act" of his administration and "the greatest event of the
nineteenth century." The joyous news of freedom did not reach Galveston,
Texas, until two and a half years after emancipation when Major General
Gordon Granger arrived and announced that the Civil War was over and all
slaves were free. Ever since, Americans have marked June 19th with
special celebrations and traditions commemorating this historic moment.
On this day, we honor the vision of President Lincoln, and we will
keep striving to build a Nation where the dignity of every person is
respected, where people are judged by the content of their character,
and where the hope of the American dream reaches every neighborhood and
every citizen. Together, we can continue to advance the ideals of
liberty and justice that make our country strong and help more Americans
realize the full promise of this great Nation.
Laura and I send our best wishes on this special occasion. May God
bless you, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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