As Author of Juneteenth National Independence Act, Senator Markey Celebrates Fifth Anniversary of Juneteenth Federal Holiday

Boston (June 19, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senate author of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act of 2021, released the following statement today to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Juneteenth's commemoration as a federal holiday and to recommit to fighting for liberty and justice for all.

"Today, we reflect not only on what happened in our nation's past, but what we must recommit ourselves to in the future. We are a nation forged by our fights for civil rights, for human rights, and for equal rights for all. But these fights have not always come easy, and they have not always come quickly.

"We owe the fights for justice and equality to those who have organized, marched, spoken out, and refused to back down. We honor the hard-won battles and the difficult roads that still lie ahead.

"Our democracy is strongest when we speak the truth honestly and take action on behalf of justice. We win when we stand united, together.

"On Juneteenth, we celebrate Black joy, Black resilience, and Black excellence. And we celebrate the promise of freedom and the power of our shared humanity. That is the future we must build where liberty and justice are a reality for all."

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