Statement from Chancellor King and SUNY Board of Trustees on Recognition of Juneteenth
June 19, 2025
"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."
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
Share this:
Holly Liapis
518-320-1311
Email the Office of Communications
