Juneteenth

To: The Campus Community
From: Thomas F. Rosenbaum, President and David A. Tirrell, Provosta
Date: June 17, 2021
Re: Juneteenth

In observance of this year's anniversary of Juneteenth, the day that marks the end of slavery in the United States, we encourage all members of the Caltech community to take time on Friday, June 18 for reflection and for celebration of Black culture and heritage. Juneteenth, which is also known as Emancipation Day and Freedom Day, commemorates the day, June 19, 1865, on which enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln.

June 19 has been long celebrated as a day that highlights the resilience, creativity, and culture of Black Americans, especially in the face of discrimination and racism. Today, President Biden signed a bill that establishes Juneteenth as a federal holiday. The new holiday will be observed this year by federal workers on Friday, June 18.

Caltech will incorporate observance of Juneteenth into its calendar beginning in 2022, and encourages managers and supervisors to offer employees as much flexibility and time in their schedule this Friday to celebrate Juneteenth without compromise of critical functions. We also encourage all members of the community to participate in the Caltech Center for Inclusion and Diversity's online Juneteenth Celebration, scheduled for 12 p.m. PST tomorrow, June 18. Attendees are asked to RSVP for the event in advance.