MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address celebrating Juneteenth in Wisconsin. This week, Gov. Evers also signed Executive Order #230, raising the Juneteenth Flag above the Wisconsin State Capitol for the fifth year in a row. Gov. Evers also proclaimed June 19, 2024, as “Juneteenth” throughout the state of Wisconsin. A copy of the governor’s 2024 Juneteenth proclamation is available here.

Audio File to Radio Address.

Hey there, folks. Governor Tony Evers here.

In 2020, I was proud to celebrate Juneteenth by raising the Juneteenth Flag over Wisconsin’s State Capitol for the very first time in our state’s history.

And for the fifth year in a row, it is my pleasure to be able to recognize and celebrate this important holiday and raise the Juneteenth flag once again.

Here in Wisconsin, Juneteenth has been formally recognized since 2009.

That’s more than two decades after State Senator Spencer Coggs and Representative Marcia Coggs first proposed legislation to do so in 1987 and more than 140 years since the first Juneteenth.

If that doesn’t underscore just how important it is for us as a state and for me as governor to recognize this holiday, then I don’t know what would.

Frankly, folks, as we celebrate the hard-fought battles and hard-won progress we have made as a state and country, we also have to recognize that there’s still as much more work to do.

Whether it’s reducing disparities in healthcare and health outcomes, investing in our schools and kids,  making sure housing is affordable, providing clean, safe drinking water from the tap, and ensuring every family and every community has the resources and opportunities to thrive—all of this is necessary to build the sort of future—and present—that we want for our kids, families, and state.

We have work to do, but together, we’ll build that future. We’ll build a Wisconsin that is more just, more equitable, and freer for all.

So, today, as we celebrate Black history, culture, and resilience and the progress we have made, we also celebrate the future we are going to build.

I will always be proud to help celebrate Juneteenth and the countless contributions of Black Wisconsinites—past and present—in our state.

Happy Juneteenth, Wisconsin!