[Important Information for Employees] Fwd: Statement from Chancellor King and SUNY Board of Trustees on Recognition of Juneteenth

[Office of the President]

Dear Campus Community,

Today, we recognize Juneteenth as a moment of profound historical and
cultural significance. It is a day to honor the end of slavery in the
United States and to reflect on the ongoing work of equity and justice.

At SUNY Plattsburgh, we are committed to fostering a community where
learning, inclusion, and respect are foundational. Juneteenth aligns
closely with these values, reminding us of the power of education to
elevate truth, amplify voices, and drive change.

Please see the message below from SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and the
SUNY Board of Trustees in recognition of this important day.

Sincerely,
Dr. Alexander Enyedi
President

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: SUNY Communications <communications at suny.edu>
Date: Thu, Jun 19, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Subject: Statement from Chancellor King and SUNY Board of Trustees on
Recognition of Juneteenth
To: <SUNYPIO-L at ls.sysadm.suny.edu>




*For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 19, 2025*

Contact: Holly Liapis, Holly.Liapis at suny.edu, (518) 477-0757



*Statement from Chancellor King and SUNY Board of Trustees on Recognition
of Juneteenth*



“Juneteenth—June 19, 1865—is not the day the Civil War ended, or the day
President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, but we mark it
because it is the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally gained
knowledge of their liberation. Celebrating ‘Freedom Day’ on Juneteenth is a
reflection that in knowledge comes true liberation.



“We celebrate freedom from bondage on Juneteenth, but also freedom from
ignorance and freedom from the denial of information. At SUNY, we believe
that true liberation is not merely the right to self-determination, but
also the ability to receive knowledge and uplift oneself through education
and empowerment.



“Our great state had the foresight to ensure that SUNY would provide a
world-class education to everyone. Our mission, which we hold dear, clearly
states that we will … *provide to the people of New York educational
services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully
representative of all segments of the population in a complete range of
academic, professional and vocational postsecondary programs*. Juneteenth
is such a special holiday at SUNY because it reminds us that knowledge
empowers and changes individual lives and entire societies. Knowledge can
be a key to freedom, a bridge to justice, and a steppingstone to a brighter
future.



“In recent months and years, we’ve experienced attacks on diversity,
equity, and inclusion, troubling and baseless attempts to erase the tragic
sin of slavery through banning books and teaching history lessons in some
states that downplay racist parts of our history. In this context,
observing Juneteenth—and reflecting on the horrific institution of slavery
and its impact on our modern lives—matters. It assures us that we will not
forget this painful and complicated part of our past as a nation, and that
we’ll do the work still necessary so that all Americans, regardless of
race, have equal opportunities to live freely.



“We are proud to reaffirm our deep commitment to education—including study
of the truth of our nation’s brightest accomplishments and our darkest of
days. That knowledge, just like all history, must be preserved so that we
can learn from it, grow from it, and ensure that we build a better, fairer,
and more just society.”



###
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ls.plattsburgh.edu/pipermail/critical-employees/attachments/20250619/2351b48d/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 9093 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://ls.plattsburgh.edu/pipermail/critical-employees/attachments/20250619/2351b48d/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.png
Type: image/png
Size: 11667 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://ls.plattsburgh.edu/pipermail/critical-employees/attachments/20250619/2351b48d/attachment-0001.png>