Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, spoke Thursday on the House Floor to recognize Juneteenth and acknowledge the many celebrations occurring throughout Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.
She also recognized Major League Baseball as they prepare to return to Birmingham for the 2025 East-West Classic Game on Thursday, June 19 at 1 p.m. at Rickwood Field, and the opening of the newly refurbished Willie Mays Park in Fairfield.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge June 19 as Juneteenth. On June 19, this nation will recognize Juneteenth with a federal holiday. We will gather in the spirit of remembrance, resilience, and recommitment to celebrate a day of delayed liberation but not undeniable triumph.
“On June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with the news that the last enslaved Black Americans were finally free.
“Freedom did not come easily. It came slowly, unevenly, and at a painful cost. But it came, and with it, generations of Black Americans began the long, unfinished journey towards full equality through Reconstruction, through Jim Crow, through the Civil Rights Movement, the Voting Rights Movement, and even now, in our time.
“Juneteenth is not just about history; it’s about truth telling. It is a reminder that freedom delayed is freedom fought for, and that liberation means more than just the breaking of physical chains. It demands justice in our laws, equity in our institutions, dignity in our labor, and respect in our schools, our neighborhoods, and in our nation.
“My district, Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, will honor Juneteenth with a host of activities. The NAACP in Tuscaloosa will kick it off with a parade on Saturday and a luncheon on Thursday. And in Birmingham, we will have a variety of events, including a unity breakfast on Friday hosted by D.A. Danny Carr and the League of Gentlemen.
“We will also welcome Major League Baseball back to Birmingham, Alabama, for the second consecutive year. On June 19, 2025, Major League Baseball will return to the Magic City for the 2025 East-West Classic Game at Rickwood Field. The game will pay tribute to the Negro Leagues and honor Birmingham’s important contributions to baseball history.
“This year, we will also celebrate the ribbon-cutting of the newly refurbished Willie Mays Park in Fairfield, Alabama. Thanks to the generosity of Major League Baseball and the extraordinary efforts of State Senator Merika Coleman and numerous community partners, the Willie Mays Park will undergo major improvements and will now serve generations of aspiring young baseball players in Jefferson County.
“I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Major League Baseball for their continued investment in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District. We look forward to welcoming them back to the Magic City, and of course, we know how important baseball has been, not only to the African American community, but to the American community writ large.
“We’re excited to welcome Major League Baseball back to Birmingham, Alabama. So, thanks to their generosity and the generosity of so many, we will continue to play ball in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.
“Thank you, and let’s play ball,” Sewell concluded.
