All of us at Harsch Investment Properties condemn racism in any form. We reject any racial prejudice against anyone, especially the racial violence, discrimination, and injustice taken against Black communities. We reaffirm our commitment to maintain an environment that respects all peoples. Juneteenth marks a day of reflection on our country’s history and how it has shaped and continues to influence our society.
As we close the Harsch offices early on Friday, June 19, we encourage employees to use that time to learn more about the Black Lives Matter movement. By acknowledging the conditions and experiences of others, we can move forward to make significant and lasting improvements in our communities.
As more Americans become aware of Juneteenth as a holiday, it’s important to learn about its history and significance. Also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Liberation Day, June 19 commemorates the day Union army general, Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery. General Granger’s arrival in Galveston that June signaled freedom for Texas’s 250,000 slaves. This announcement came nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed by President Abraham Lincoln effective January 1, 1863, changing the legal status under federal law of more than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the Confederate states from slave to free.
