Juneteenth marks the 156th anniversary of the date when enslaved people in Texas finally received word that President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation more than two and a half years earlier. As our country and University continue to reckon with and work to address the systemic racism and discrimination that are the legacy of slavery, Penn should and will redouble its efforts to foster justice and equity.
Tomorrow, in commemoration of this important event in US history, the University is sponsoring a keynote address with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi who will be interviewed by Wharton Dean Erika James at noon. In addition, a list of Juneteenth resources may be found at https://faculty.upenn.edu/events/juneteenth/.
The University is offering School and Center leadership flexibility to grant early release or time for reflection tomorrow afternoon for those members of our community who wish to reflect upon the significance of the holiday. The academic calendar has summer session I classes scheduled for June 18. Instructors who elect to hold class should not penalize students who choose not to participate. In the coming year, we look forward to recognizing this new Federal holiday as part of the University academic calendar.