06/18/2026
WPI offices will be closed tomorrow (Friday, June 19) in observance of Juneteenth holiday. We will resume regular business operations on Monday, June 22. While you enjoy your long weekend, we invite you to reflect upon the meaning of Juneteenth and it's important place in our US history.
What is Juneteenth, you ask? That's a great question!
Juneteenth (June 19th) is a federally recognized holiday which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the US, specifically marking the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of slavery. Although President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, it was logistically unenforceable in Confederate-controlled areas. It wasn’t until over 2-years later on June 19, 1865, that the news finally reached enslaved people in Texas, when Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in to read "General Order No. 3," finally enforcing the freedom of 250,000 enslaved Black Texans. Juneteenth honors not just emancipation, but the resilience, culture, and achievements of Black Americans, recognizing that true freedom arrived in stages.
