Statement from Chancellor King and the SUNY Board of Trustees on Recognition of Juneteenth
June 19, 2026
"On June 19, 1865, more than two months after the end of the Civil War, and two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their liberation. During this year's Juneteenth celebrations, we recognize the profound importance of knowledge and the empowering nature of education. When people have access to education, they are able to achieve opportunities that are otherwise out-of-reach.
"SUNY's mandate is to '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….' As more students work to change their lives through the pursuit of higher education, SUNY remains dedicated to ensuring that we are helping students build strong civic engagement skills and that we never shy away from teaching the truth – including the impacts the horrific institution of slavery has had on our modern life. It is our duty as educators to provide our students with the tools to study our nation's accomplishments, and our painful history.
"Juneteenth serves as a reminder that education is a vital part of accessing a brighter future. We are proud to reaffirm our commitment to education, and preserving history so we can learn from it, grow from it, and equip students with the tools they need to build a fairer society for all.”
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, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its 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 $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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