Montgomery County Council proclaims Juneth, leaders urge continued work on racial equity

The Montgomery County Council on June 16 read a proclamation recognizing June 19, 2026 as Juneth and heard extended remarks from council members and community leaders about the holiday’s history and its present-day meaning.

Speakers emphasized that emancipation was a beginning rather than an endpoint. “We remember Junth because it is a celebration. It’s a celebration of our resilience,” said one council member, who recounted the long arc from slavery through redlining and mass incarceration and said the county must keep working to make freedom real for everyone.

Leticia Gasaway Paul and Frederick Hawkins, the county’s African-American liaison, urged residents to attend local Juneteenth events and use the holiday as both celebration and a call to action. The proclamation text in the council packet recited General Order No. 3 (Galveston, June 19, 1865) and referenced the 13th Amendment and the long history of struggle that followed emancipation.

Why it matters: Council and community speakers linked historical injustice to current disparities—citing incarceration rates, housing covenants and the need for continued civic and policy work—while promoting multiple county Juneteenth events and local programming.

The proclamation was symbolic; no binding policy or appropriation was adopted during the reading. The council moved on to legislative business after acknowledging the community speakers and leaders.