WI AJR72

Proclaims June 19, 2025, as Juneteenth Day in Wisconsin through a joint resolution of the Assembly and Senate

Commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of slavery—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863

Recognizes Wisconsin's role in Juneteenth history, including Milwaukee's celebration beginning in 1971, making it one of the nation's oldest and longest-running observances

Acknowledges the history of slavery in the United States, which lasted over 250 years, including hundreds of enslaved people held illegally in Wisconsin

Notes Juneteenth became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, and is observed in every state as a celebration of African American freedom, achievement, and history