Juneteenth Graphic

Juneteenth Freedom Day Becomes Federal Holiday

Beth Smith
Beth Smith
Juneteenth Graphic

Today marks a milestone in our nation’s history, indeed a Jubilee moment, as Juneteenth Freedom Day becomes a federal holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in America, one of the darkest periods our country — and our society — has experienced.

June 19, Juneteenth, is a time of celebration and reflection.

Medicine is built on a foundation of science with the purpose of revealing the causes of disease and methods of prevention and cure. However, the healing needed in our nation will not be found in medicine. It must come from within each of us and be shared with all.

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix is committed to intentionally addressing racism as a public health crisis. We join in celebrating this important step toward racial justice and healing.

The law signed yesterday by President Biden will go into effect immediately. Many federal offices will be closed today in observance of the holiday. The University of Arizona is reviewing ABOR policies, University policies and other applicable policies to determine the next steps. At this time, state offices and institutions, including the University of Arizona and the College of Medicine – Phoenix, will maintain standard operating hours.

Please join us in celebrating this important landmark in our history!

We invite you to participate in our Wildcat and Arizona communities' activities celebrating Juneteenth 2021:

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About the College

Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to optimize health and health care in Arizona and beyond. By cultivating collaborative research locally and globally, the college accelerates discovery in a number of critical areas — including cancer, stroke, traumatic brain injury and cardiovascular disease. Championed as a student-centric campus, the college has graduated more than 800 physicians, all of whom received exceptional training from nine clinical partners and more than 2,700 diverse faculty members. As the anchor to the Phoenix Bioscience Core, which is projected to have an economic impact of $3.1 billion by 2025, the college prides itself on engaging with the community, fostering education, inclusion, access and advocacy.