Greenwood Village, CO. — Colorado GOP Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown, Vice Chair Priscilla Rahn, Secretary Marilyn Harris released the following statement today celebrating the 157th anniversary of Juneteenth and the official new holiday:

“157 years ago, the news about President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation finally reached Galveston, Texas and officially brought an end to the horrible injustice of slavery in the United States. Today we celebrate the new official Juneteenth holiday as an important reminder to all Americans of the history of enslaved Africans, the progress we have made and of the important work left to do to fight for liberty, justice and opportunity for all Americans.”