USMA’s Juneteenth Observance will take place on Thursday, 15 June 2023 from 1200 - 1245. The observance will be held at the West Point Club in the Grand Ballroom. Our guest speaker for this month is Mr. Samuel Collins III. He is known in the Galveston, Texas area as an advocate and historian and commonly referred to as Professor Juneteenth. Mr. Collins has spearheaded a giant outdoor mural of the history of Galveston's enslaved people, their freedom, and their possible future in a work of art dedicated on Juneteenth 2021. He has also advocated for the recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday amongst others. Mr. Collins also provides financial services and manages SLC Investment Services in his hometown.

This will be a buffet luncheon event for cadets (100 seats available) as well as staff, faculty, and employees (50 tickets available) from around West Point. The uniform for the observance will be duty uniform or appropriate civilian attire.

Cadets can sign-up through CIS to attend the event. Staff, faculty, and employees can reserve tickets in advance by emailing MSG Baumgartner at andrew.baumgartner@westpoint.edu or by purchasing them at the USMA EO Office in Taylor Hall, 7th Floor starting 12 June 2023.

All reserved tickets can be paid for at the EO Office in advance or at the observance and any unreserved tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event. Tickets are $15.00 cash only, please. Doors will open at 1150 for ticket purchase and buffet line.

The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act passed the Senate by unanimous consent on June 15, 2021, and the House on June 16, 2021, and was signed into law as Public Law 117-17, designating June 19th as a federal holiday.