CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
R 142054Z JUN 23 MID600053049889U 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC 
TO ALNAV 
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC 
CNO WASHINGTON DC 
CMC WASHINGTON DC 
BT 
UNCLAS 
 
ALNAV 051/23 
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/JUN// 
 
SUBJ/DEPARTMENT OF NAVY 2023 JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY// 
 
1.  On 19 June 2023, the Department of the Navy (DON) joins the Nation in 
celebrating Juneteenth National Independence Day.  Its name derives from the 
combining of "June" and "nineteenth," commemorating the end of slavery in the 
United States, specifically the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation 
in Texas on 19 June 1865, two and a half years after the proclamation was 
signed.  Traditionally celebrated by African Americans as a symbol of their 
emancipation, it is a time to gather with family and community to reflect on 
the past, honor the present, and celebrate shared history, tradition, and 
progress. 
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the official end of slavery 
within our Nation, going by (among other names) Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and 
Cel-Liberation Day.  Before President Joseph Biden made it a federal holiday 
on 17 June 2021 following unanimous consent from Congress, 46 states 
recognized Juneteenth as a holiday.  While it is no doubt a joyous occasion, 
Juneteenth is also a sobering reminder that the foundation of many areas of 
our Nation rest on the foundation of former plantations, along with the bones 
of those enslaved individuals who labored both for and against the Union 
before the Emancipation Proclamation.  Indeed, official freedom came too 
late, and absolute equality continues to remain a challenge.  Even in 2012, 
the Department of State noted that around 27 million people across the world 
were victims of human trafficking and other more modern forms of slavery.  In 
acknowledging the bitterness of the past and even the present day, we 
nonetheless take pride in recognizing our Nation's progress and powerful role 
in the worldwide fight to end slavery.  It is never too late to better 
deliver on our Nation's promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of equality 
and equity for all. Juneteenth, our Nation's "second Independence Day," is 
dedicated to the spirit and inherent freedom of those who may struggle under 
bondage, both seen and unseen.  As we celebrate Juneteenth, let us remember, 
we are active participants in this world to relieve oppression where we find 
it and to announce freedom and democracy for all.  I encourage you to learn 
more about Juneteenth and its importance to our Nation at  
https://nmaahc.si.edu/juneteenth. 
 
2.  Released by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro Secretary of the Navy.// 
 
BT 
#0001 
NNNN 
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//