Statement on Passage of Legislation to Establish Juneteenth as National Holiday

NLADA Applauds Passage of Legislation to Establish Juneteenth as National Holiday

(Washington, DC) Jo-Ann Wallace, president & CEO of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) issued the following statement in response to the establishment of Juneteenth as a new federal holiday:

“NLADA applauds the passage of legislation to establish Juneteenth as a new federal holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the formal end of slavery in the United States.

“For some, this day has been a day of family celebrations, picnics and parades since the Civil War era and for others, this holiday raises a new awareness about the true history of slavery and Emancipation in America.

“The NLADA community of civil legal aid attorneys, public defenders and client advocates are on the front lines battling the barriers to justice created by slavery’s horrific legacy in our nation. We should use this day to recommit ourselves to reckoning with that legacy, which still permeates the fabric of our society.   

“We hope today’s establishment of Juneteenth as a national holiday is the turning point in ensuring equity and access to justice for all in the United States.”

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The National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), founded in 1911, is America’s oldest and largest nonprofit association devoted to excellence in the delivery of legal services to those who cannot afford counsel. NLADA has pioneered access to justice at the national, state and local levels through the creation of our public defender systems and other important institutions from The Sentencing Project to the Legal Services Corporation. A leader in the development of national standards for civil legal aid and public defense, NLADA also provides advocacy, training and technical assistance for equal justice advocates across the country.