Hopkinsville and Christian County leaders gathered at the courthouse Tuesday morning to help proclaim Sunday, June 19th as Juneteenth—the holiday that recognizes when the final slaves in Texas were told of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Judge-Executive Steve Tribble and Mayor Wendell Lynch presented a proclamation, with Mayor Lynch noting slaves in different parts of the country learned of the January 1, 1863 Emancipation Proclamation from President Lincoln at different times, but it took until June 19, 1865 for slaves in Galveston, Texas to be free.
He hopes Juneteenth will help motivate more Americans to learn that history.
Magistrates and representatives of the Human Rights Commission were also on hand for the occasion.