“Juneteenth isn’t just a day to remember—it’s a day to rejoice, to barbecue, to dance, and to love out loud.” — Pharrell Williams
Juneteenth is a yearly reminder to pause, celebrate how far we’ve come, and recognize that there’s still more work to do. This list of 25 Empowering & Powerful Quotes for Juneteenth will set the perfect tone for celebration and determination.
This post provides 25 Empowering & Powerful Quotes for Juneteenth to use in a card or message to put as home decor or party decor, in social media posts, as well as cards for friends, family & coworkers.
25 Empowering & Powerful Quotes for Juneteenth
The cruelties of slavery and the theft of a life were some of the most painful parts of our history, not just for every Black person, but for everyone.
Juneteenth isn’t just about remembering that pain—it’s about honoring the spirit of a people who have continued to rise, resist, and redefine what freedom means. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and so many other civil rights activists fought for the notion of freedom to be fully realized. And while Juneteenth is a moment of joy, it also reminds us that there is much work left to do.
As Barack Obama once said, “Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory, nor an acceptance of the way things are. It’s a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible—and there is still so much work to do.”
It’s a never-ending process, but that’s exactly why Juneteenth matters. It’s about honoring the past while continuing to fight for a better future.
When Is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is always the same day every year – June 19th – but depending on the day of the week that it falls, you may be able to do different things to celebrate Juneteenth from year to year.
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This post is focused on 25 Empowering & Powerful Quotes for Juneteenth. Check out our Juneteenth post ideas to educate and inspire, as well as plenty of other celebrations you can do every season! To be inspired, you can check out more on each seasonal section of the blog – Winter, Spring, Summer. & Fall.
What Is Juneteenth?
Alright, let’s talk about Juneteenth—because if you’re here, you probably want to understand it better, whether you’re celebrating for the first time or looking to deepen your appreciation for this historic day.
Juneteenth, observed on June 19th, marks the end of slavery in the United States—but not in the way most people assume.
President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, but not every enslaved person was immediately freed. It took two and a half years, until Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to announce that slavery was finally over.
That’s why Juneteenth is sometimes called Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, or even Jubilee Day.
Fast forward to today, and thanks to the dedication of Opal Lee, known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, officially signed into law by President Joe Biden and supported by Vice President Kamala Harris.
But for Black Americans, it has always been an important celebration of victory and a celebration of progress, honoring the strength and resilience of Black people throughout history.
25 Empowering & Powerful Quotes for Juneteenth
- “Juneteenth is a day of jubilation, a time to celebrate how far we’ve come and to gather strength for the journey ahead.”— Opal Lee (The “Grandmother of Juneteenth”)
- “Freedom is not something that one people can bestow on another as a gift. They claim it as their own and none can keep it from them.”— Kwame Nkrumah, I Speak of Freedom
- “To celebrate Juneteenth is to celebrate the beauty of resilience, the power of freedom, and the joy of Black culture.” — Brittney Cooper
- “We must never forget that Black history is American history. The achievements of African Americans have contributed to our nation’s greatness.”— Yvette Clarke
- “Juneteenth reminds us that freedom is worth celebrating—our music, our laughter, our community, our very existence is a triumph.” — Amanda Gorman
- “Black joy is an act of resistance, and Juneteenth is our chance to dance, sing, and uplift each other in the face of history.”— Tarana Burke
- “Racism should never have happened and so you don’t get a cookie for reducing it.”— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah
- “The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.”— W.E.B. Du Bois, Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil
- “We are the ones we have been waiting for.”— Alice Walker, Hard Times Require Furious Dancing
- “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”— Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
- “I prayed for freedom for twenty years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.”— Frederick Douglass
- “Juneteenth is a day to remember the struggles and celebrate the triumphs of African Americans. We honor those who fought for freedom and those who continue the fight today.”— Barack Obama
- “You can’t separate peace from freedom, because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”— Malcolm X
- “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.”— Coretta Scott King
- “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”— Fannie Lou Hamer
- “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”— Angela Davis
- “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”— Frederick Douglass
- “I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other.”— Harriet Tubman
- “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”— Martin Luther King Jr.
- “What the people want is simple. They want an America as good as its promise.”— Barbara Jordan
- “Won’t be chained to yesterday / We can start again in a better way.”— Beyoncé, “Freedom”
- “Your freedom is the most expensive thing you own, even if you didn’t pay for it yourself.” — Ta-Nehisi Coates, “Between the World and Me”
- “It’s about legacy. It’s about what we choose to leave behind for future generations. It’s our time to step up.”— T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), Black Panther
- “We must celebrate Juneteenth not just as a day of remembrance, but as a call to action for justice, equality, and opportunity for all.”— Michelle Obama
- “We are Black excellence, Black culture, Black joy, and Black freedom. And we are unstoppable.”— Lizzo
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Honoring Black History & Legacy
Beyond celebrating with food and festivals, Juneteenth is also a time to educate and reflect on African American history. Some of our favorite ways include:
- Visiting museums or historical landmarks dedicated to Black history.
- Reading books by Black authors or about the civil rights movement.
- Watching films and documentaries that explore Black experiences in America.
- Learning about Black leaders, from Frederick Douglass to modern-day activists.
25 Empowering & Powerful Quotes for Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a day of remembrance, but it’s also a day of celebration—a time to acknowledge how far we’ve come while recognizing the ongoing commitment to justice and equality.
Whether you’re learning, celebrating, or advocating, there’s no better way to honor this national holiday than by embracing the spirit of a people who have fought for their freedom, their rights, and their place in American history.
Seasonal Inspiration
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Happy Juneteenth!
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[…] post is focused on how Juneteenth can be celebrated, but we also have an incredible post full of powerful and amazing Juneteenth quotes, so be sure to check that out too. Plus, the blog covers celebrations you can do every season! To […]