At its meeting on June 9, 2026, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation supporting Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of enslavement in the United States.

Juneteenth (June 19) — also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Liberation Day — has been celebrated by the African American community for over 150 years. It has been a Fairfax County holiday since 2020.

Fairfax County celebrates Juneteenth as a day to reaffirm our commitment to the essential and ongoing work of eradicating systemic racism that results in exclusion, discriminatory treatment, inequitable policies and disadvantages for Black Americans and other people of color, the proclamation reads. The proclamation adds that through One Fairfax, our county and our community are committed to promoting fairness and justice in the formation of public policy that results in equity for all residents.

Recent Fairfax High School graduate Mark Anthony Nelson, a member of the steering committee for My Brother’s Keeper and a member of the County’s Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee, accepted the proclamation.

“The fact that this proclamation returns to the board floor year after year is an undeniably powerful showing of Fairfax County's commitment to equality and more importantly, to equity, which does not expire,” he said.

“This distinction does matter though. As we all know, giving two students the same opportunity is not the same as making sure both can access it. Equality opens the door. Equity makes sure everyone can actually walk through it. One is a promise, the other makes sure it is kept.”

Nelson also emphasized the many challenges facing civil rights today.

“Juneteenth was never only about looking back at freedom won. It’s about defending freedom now. And rights are not defended by accident.”

• Read the full text of Nelson’s speech.
• Read the 2026 Juneteenth Proclamation.
• See more photos in NCS’ Flickr album.
• Learn more about the history of Juneteenth.
• Visit Fairfax's Juneteenth page.
• Learn more about Fairfax County’s One Fairfax Policy.