Today is Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the day the last community of Africans enslaved in the U.S. were informed of their freedom.

It took almost three years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, for the end of one of the darkest chapters in American history to really take hold. The proclamation marked the end of slavery, but in the town of Galveston Island, Texas, enslaved Africans remained in bondage and subjugation. On June 19th, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger and Union soldiers, who had been traveling throughout the South for over two years spreading the word, arrived at Galveston and issued General Orders Number 3, officially freeing the last of the enslaved:

"The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."

—General Orders, Number 3; Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865

Juneteenth is a state holiday in Texas and is officially celebrated in 43 states in America, often with parades, barbecues and memorial ceremonies. The New York Times featured an interesting piece on traditions and food associated with the holiday.

This day is usually a day for celebration. But today, I am reminded of how far we have yet to go until we are truly free. Today, sitting with the news of more violence against black people this weekend, I am reminded of how far we have to go until black lives really matter. I am reminded of the great distance between our ideals as enshrined in so many founding documents and the lived experiences of the marginalized.

I hold in my heart the families of Nabra Hussein, Charleena Lyles, and Philando Castile. Today, I worry for the safety of my own family and all the black people I love; especially the trans women, the Muslims, the mothers, the youth, and the disabled.

Today, we renew our commitment to work to dismantle all systems of oppression. There is no such thing as justice for some of us, without liberty for all of us.

I’m re-reading this post from ACLU of Massachusetts, which illustrates how case law impedes criminal justice reform, and considering exactly what dismantling that looks like.  And at this time, what I hold through my grief and rage, is a full awareness of the resilience and dedication of my people. Because of this, I believe that we will win. And on this, Black Independence Day, that is what I will celebrate.

Luca DeAngelis is a rising sophomore at Bowdoin College and a George Mitchell Scholar. He will be blogging throughout the summer.

My name is Luca DeAngelis. I grew up in Readfield, Maine and attended the Maranacook schools. Back when I was a sophomore in high school I spent a day job-shadowing at the ACLU for our career day. Almost four years later I am excited to be back at the ACLU of Maine as a summer intern.

The values that the ACLU stands for are values that my family has always taught me. I grew up in a community of family and friends that really positively influenced the way I think. Throughout my life I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by people I love who have taught me so much about the world. Their words and actions showed me how to frame much of my thinking with the ideas of equality and justice. I am fortunate to have a family and community that helped build this framework and vision of the world, from which a passion for social justice could be built.

My sister has long been a role model in showing how to take passion and turn it into meaningful action. When I was nine, my sister led a protest after the administration removed the rainbow pride flag from my high school's lobby. Looking back I think about how important she was as an individual agent of change; she galvanized the student body and made it so that flag was still up when I was a senior 8 years later. Seeing the changes like these that she has been able to make throughout her life has taught me that I myself as an individual can use my own passion to positively impact the world.

My search for a summer position coincided with the post-election months of November and December. I felt then, more than ever, a sense of urgency in finding a way to make change in areas like immigration rights and racial justice. I felt that being a part of a social justice organization that is doing meaningful work would be one of the best things I could do this summer.

Knowing that some of the strongest advocates for change and justice come from the ACLU, it was an obvious starting point for me. I am fortunate enough to get the opportunity to intern at the ACLU of Maine this summer. Any little thing I can do to help the organization feels like I'm adding just a little strength to the resistance. The things I will learn from powerful advocates and the experience I gain from working alongside them will help put me in the best position to make more positive change in the future.