Update from the President to commemorate Juneteenth

Dear students, faculty, and staff,

Over the last 26 days our University, our state, and beyond has grappled with George Floyd’s murder. We have collectively called for action, accountability, and justice. As a community, we are confronting these calls and our University’s history by asking tough questions about what it means to be safe and supported, and to be, as our mission statement says, “dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.”

As we take important steps together to answer these questions, we pause today on Juneteenth to commemorate that 155 years ago, the news of the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War reached Galveston, Texas, the final outpost to learn that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were free. We also pause today not only as a reminder of how systemic and institutionalized racism has harmed and continues to harm, but also as an opportunity to honor, stand with, and advocate alongside our Black community members at the University and across Minnesota.

As a University, we have a responsibility to apply our expertise, resources, and ability to connect people statewide to drive action that is sustainable and has meaning. We are committed to do more and do better in centering the voices and experiences of our Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color.

I hope that you will join me in commemorating Juneteenth. There are resources available from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture for more information.

• Celebrating Juneteenth
• Juneteenth: A Celebration of Resilience

Thank you for your continued advocacy. I am hopeful that we will create meaningful change together.

With warmest wishes,

Joan Gabel