BRIDGE Special Emphasis Program Celebrates Juneteenth at Exchange HQ

Members of BRIDGE serve cultural food to associates at Exchange headquarters in honor of Juneteenth.

Members of the Exchange’s African American Heritage Special Emphasis Program BRIDGE (Building Resources in Diversity Growth of Employees) hosted a Juneteenth celebration event June 19 at Exchange headquarters in Dallas. The event featured educational pamphlets about the holiday and samples of cultural foods like pecan pie, greens, watermelon and more.

“Juneteenth is a significant day in Texas—an American holiday honoring the event of June 19, 1865,” said Judy Hathaway, Store Ops communication Specialist and program manager of the Exchange’s BRIDGE special emphasis program. “We appreciate our associates who have joined us in commemorating the emancipation celebration and end of slavery in the United States.”

On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the end of both the Civil War and slavery. Juneteenth—also known as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth Independence Day and Black Independence Day—celebrates the end of slavery in the United States and is observed in 46 states across the country.

Send photos of your store’s Juneteenth celebration to ExchangePost@aafes.com for the Exchange Post Flickr Album!