Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata has issued a statement in recognition of Juneteenth, the national holiday established by Congress in 2021. In her statement, she emphasized the importance of freedom and unity.
“On Juneteenth, we celebrate shared ideals of freedom that can give us powerful unity as a country,” said Amata. She highlighted that while America’s founders declared freedom as a God-given right, it was not initially available to all. The struggle for this ideal became central to many American abolitionists and only materialized nationwide after significant loss during the Civil War.
Amata continued by acknowledging the ongoing defense of freedom: “The cause of freedom prevailed then, and has been defended since. Our great nation, including our own Toa o Samoa, lifts up the enduring cause of freedom today throughout the world.”
She extended goodwill to African Americans who are descendants of those impacted by Civil War history: “On Juneteenth, we send our love and goodwill to African American countrymen and women that descend from that Civil War history.” She reaffirmed dedication to collective values such as life, liberty, and happiness for future generations.
Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865 — when news reached the last place practicing slavery in the United States. This occurred two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The Confederate armies had surrendered in April 1865, concluding major combat operations in the Civil War.
