A statement from Interim President Hilton Hallock:
Today, President Biden signed legislation establishing June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day. This year, APU will recognize this important day with a holiday on Monday, June 21. Because this is short notice and we have not yet integrated it into the academic or other university calendars, scheduled classes, conferences, and other major activities will still take place. If you have a question about the status of your class or event, please contact your instructor or the event sponsor. Employees who need to work to support these activities can exchange the holiday for a day later in the year.
Juneteenth National Independence Day commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers delivered the news of emancipation to enslaved Black people in Galveston, TX, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the United States. I encourage you to use this holiday to reflect on the systems and structures of racism in our country and recommit to the work of social justice and equity needed on our campus and in our communities.
