Hobbs, Gallego, and Romero Celebrate Juneteenth

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and Tucson Mayor Regina Romero celebrated and participated in events commemorating Juneteenth, the day declaring that all slaves should be freed in the United States following the end of the American Civil War.

Governor Hobbs participated in Juneteenth events in Phoenix (alongside Mayor Gallego) and Scottsdale. In an official press release, the Governor stated:

“Juneteenth is a time for celebration and joy, for recognition and togetherness. But it’s also a time for reflection and commitment. Today, I recommit to each of you that I will never allow our history to be erased, even the darkest parts. Recognizing and reckoning with our past is the only way to move our state forward and do right by those who have been affected by cruelty and unjust laws.”

The Governor also released photos of the events she attended.

Mayor Gallego posted on social media:

This #Juneteenth marks 158 years since the last enslaved people in the U.S. were freed. At the city, this will be our second Juneteenth since becoming an official holiday in Phoenix. I’m proud of our community for giving this day its long overdue recognition. pic.twitter.com/fkXGFF31FK

— Mayor Kate Gallego (@MayorGallego) June 19, 2023

The Mayor also appeared at weekend events commemorating Juneteenth. Photo from Mayor Gallego’s Social Media.

Mayor Romero also participated in Juneteenth Events, honoring this great historical event.

She posted on her Facebook Page:

Happy Juneteenth, Tucson! This is the first year #Juneteenth is an official City of Tucson holiday, though the first celebrations began in Texas 1866, and many in the Black and African American community, including here in Tucson, have celebrated this day for generations.

The picture in this graphic is the Juneteenth flag, which symbolizes African American freedom, new beginnings, opportunity, and American identity.

Also known as Emancipation Day and regarded as America’s Second Independence Day, Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned that they were now free – two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth became a Federal Holiday in 2021 and Mayor and Council unanimously voted to make Juneteenth a city holiday in the Fall of 2022.