Dear Bentley Community,
Later this week, our community and our country will celebrate Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. While many states and communities have celebrated this important holiday for decades, it was only last year that Juneteenth was officially declared a federal holiday — an important recognition of the day when in 1865 enslaved Black Texans were notified of emancipation and the abolition of slavery following the end of the Civil War.
As we know too well, while slavery was abolished in 1865, Black Americans continue to face countless continued barriers to economic and social progress through the implementation of policies and practices like segregationist Jim Crow laws, redlining, racially-motivated violence and discrimination. Even after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, some Black Americans continued to be denied many of the rights that freedom should have provided because of lingering racism across the United States.
But Juneteenth is so much more than a reminder of obstacles faced and hardships endured. To me, it is a time to celebrate and recognize those who have fought for equity and equality in our country. It’s also a time that I reflect on the strength and resilience of Black folks in this country and on the progress that has been made toward ensuring the rights and privileges of freedom, without ignoring the fact that more progress is needed. It’s a time to recognize and rejoice at the many great contributions that Black Americans have made and will make to our country’s past, present and future. And it’s a time to pause and think about how we can individually and collectively promote a more open, respectful and equitable culture in our communities.
At Bentley, I’m proud of the work that we have done in this area. Our racial justice task force brought together members from across our community to analyze and affirm our commitment to making Bentley a more anti-racist community, and today the Inclusive Excellence Council continues that important work with the Bentley Equity Experience campus climate survey and community dialogues focused on examining our culture. Additionally, it has been encouraging to see that diversity, equity and inclusion have continuously been brought to the forefront of our strategic positioning process thanks to our community’s thoughtful engagement. This fall, the incoming undergraduate class will include our largest-ever group of students of color and first-generation students.
As I have said, we need to bring together students, faculty and staff of different backgrounds and experiences to promote an environment of collaboration and growth in our community. So, while the news from outside our campus may at times be unsettling, we can appreciate knowing that we are purposefully working toward creating a community that understands the value and power of a rich and pluralistic community.
That is why Juneteenth is important to me, and to Bentley. I ask that on June 20, when our university will be closed to celebrate and observe the holiday, that you take a moment to celebrate the progress that has been made here and across the country in advancing Black voices while recognizing that more progress needs to be made. Our work is not yet done.
As a community, we will have a chance to come together and share in celebration and reflection at this year’s Juneteenth Celebration on Wednesday, June 22 at 2:00 p.m. More details and an invitation will come from the provost’s office this afternoon, but I wanted to let you know about this chance to share with each other what Juneteenth means to you. I hope that you are able to join in this special celebration.
Most Sincerely,
President Chrite
