New Hampshire Senate Unanimously Passes Bill to Recognize Juneteenth as a State Day of Reflection

CONCORD—Today the New Hampshire Senate passed SB 174, 24-0. This bill establishes Juneteenth as a day to reflect upon slavery’s relation to the State of New Hampshire.

Senator Levesque released the following statement after the vote:

“Black History Month is a time for us to remember the history of our country, good and bad. For slaves in America, July 4th was not the day they became free. Nor was Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. In Galveston, Texas the news of the Emancipation Proclamation did not reach them for two and a half years. Juneteenth recognizes the day those slaves were finally no longer held in bondage and all Americans were considered free; I’m proud of today’s Senate vote to guarantee New Hampshire observes this historic day each year.”