To the Duke Community,

This Thursday, Duke University will observe Juneteenth, commemorating the June 19, 1865, arrival of the Union Army in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation barring slavery in the Confederate states. 

Nearly six months later, in December 1865, the ratification of the 13th Amendment would abolish slavery throughout the United States.

This holiday, long celebrated within the African-American community before it became a federal holiday in 2021, is also an opportunity for reflection and education for all.  

Duke University, like American society in general, has traveled a long journey through the course of its history. For example, Black students were not admitted until the 1960s, and Samuel DuBois Cook— Duke’s first Black faculty member— was not hired until 1966. Our specific history and context as a Duke community, here in Durham, North Carolina, continue to inform the ways we acknowledge our past, ask critical questions across academic disciplines, engage our neighbors, and work together to understand this moment and our shared future. 

We are tremendously proud of the many ways Black students, faculty, staff and alumni have advanced our mission, and we are grateful for their impact both here at Duke and in communities around the world. 

As we look to the university’s future, we are committed to continuing the unfinished work of advancing and celebrating Black excellence and supporting all members of our community in reaching their full potential. We will continue to use our recently completed Campus Culture Survey to identify areas where we can grow and advance as a campus community.     

This week, a range of local events will offer opportunities to gather with others to mark Juneteenth and gain a deeper understanding of Black history in America. I encourage you to learn more about these events on the Duke Community Affairs website.

Duke is an extraordinary community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni with a wide range of backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives. As we celebrate the work of the past, the present and the future, I am confident that our commitment to inclusive excellence will propel the people of Duke to even greater achievements and impact.

Very best wishes,

Vince