Why We Celebrate Juneteenth: Freedom, Equity, and the Fight for Home

Freedom Isn't Just a Day

On June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to liberate the last enslaved African Americans. That moment—Juneteenth—marked the end of legal slavery in the U.S., but it also revealed how freedom delayed remains freedom denied. As historian American Progress notes, “Juneteenth today represents the delay for justice and freedom long experienced by Black Americans”

But while emancipation legally freed millions, systemic barriers followed—especially in housing. This Juneteenth, we reflect on how equitable access to housing remains a key battleground in the fight for freedom, and how organizations like Family Promise of Cobb County are working to dismantle those barriers.

The Racial Wealth & Housing Gap

Homeownership Disparities

• Black homeownership stands at just ~44%, compared to White homeownership at ~75%

• From 2019 to 2021, the homeownership gap widened again: White households increased to 72.7% but Black households remained around 44%

Home equity is the bedrock of generational wealth—about 60% of middle-class wealth is tied to home ownership. Thus, exclusion from homeownership isn’t just about shelter—it’s about economic opportunity.

Discrimination, Redlining & Under‑Valuation

• Redlining, codified through HOLC “red zones” in the 1930s, systematically denied mortgage capital to predominantly Black neighborhoods—and its effects persist today.

• A study found homes in Black neighborhoods were undervalued by an average of $48,000, amounting to $156 billion in cumulative losses.

• Hundreds of racially restrictive covenants remained enforceable until the 1968 Fair Housing Act, with some still in private deeds.

• Predatory mortgage practices like reverse redlining disproportionately harmed Black borrowers during the 2000s, draining generational wealth.

These systemic practices didn’t just prevent homeownership—they undermined entire communities, producing lower property tax revenue, underfunded schools, and limited public services in Black neighborhoods.

Homelessness & Financial Instability

• Black individuals make up 13% of the population, but 37% of unhoused people nationally.

• During crises like the COVID‑19 pandemic, Black renters were more likely to face eviction fears due to lower wealth cushions .

• Emergency Rental Assistance programs allocated only 42% of funds to Black families, despite their overrepresentation among low-income renters.

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Juneteenth & the Ongoing Quest for Housing Equity

Juneteenth isn’t just a celebration—it’s a reminder of the unfinished fight for true freedom. As philanthropy leaders wrote: “Economic and racial justice won’t happen if Black people can’t buy homes and build wealth at the same level as White Americans”. Housing justice is fundamental to that fight.

Efforts like passing the Fair Housing Act of 1968 were essential—but insufficient. Housing disparities persist, shaped by exclusionary zoning, structural bias, and predatory finance—systems that require deep, sustained intervention .

How Family Promise of Cobb County Bridges the Gap

Family Promise of Cobb County (FPCC) is rooted in the belief that every family deserves a place to call home. Through its comprehensive programs, FPCC addresses both the immediate crisis and the systemic inequity behind it:

Shelter & Rotational Support

• Founded in 2014, FPCC operates a Rotational Shelter Program (RSP) across 14 local congregations, offering temporary housing, meals, and care

• Families stay up to 90 days, rotating between sites for stability while pursuing longer-term solutions .

Holistic Case Management

FPCC provides case management to guide families through:

• Housing searches and applications

• Interfacing with landlords and agencies

• Accessing healthcare, legal aid, job support, and financial coaching.

Empowerment Through Practical Skills

FPCC offers:

• Financial literacy and budgeting lessons

• Job readiness supports

Together, these services help families not just find housing—but keep homes, build credit, and achieve long-term stability.

Tying It All Together: Juneteenth, Equity & the Fight for Home

Juneteenth commemorates liberty; true liberty demands equity. Housing is the centerpiece of economic inclusion—and for Black families, it has been systematically denied. In recognizing Juneteenth's significance, we must also confront:

• Historical injustice (slavery, exclusion from the Homestead Act, redlining)

• Ongoing systemic barriers (segregation, predatory lending, eviction destabilization) ,

• Present-day impact (widened wealth gap, over‑representation in homelessness) .

By supporting organizations like FPCC, we're supporting solutions rooted in justice—not just charity.

What You Can Do

✅ Support Housing Justice

1. Donate to Family Promise of Cobb County to fund:

   • 24/7 shelter stays

   • Case management

   • Financial education programs

     Donations go directly to housing support and lifting families out of homelessness.

2. Volunteer through FPCC’s interfaith network:

3. Host rotation weeks

4. Serve meals

5. Coach families

   Local congregations and volunteers are the backbone of this community-driven model.

6. Advocate:Urge local/state legislators to expand affordable housing, enact eviction protection policies, and support shared‑equity programs like JPMorgan Chase’s $30 B initiative .

7. Educate:

8. Support transparency policies like Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).

9. Learn how historical barriers like redlining continue impacting communities today.

10. Vote: Support candidates committed to housing equity, affordable rentals, anti-displacement measures, and wealth-building opportunities.

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Juneteenth & the Enduring Struggle for Housing Justice

Juneteenth is more than remembrance. It’s a recommitment—to dismantling systems that ostracized Black families from homeownership, to investing in homes as a pathway to wealth, to ensuring every child grows up with a place to belong. When we support Family Promise of Cobb County, we're doing more than ending today’s homelessness—we’re breaking down generational barriers built by centuries of injustice.

This Juneteenth, let's renew our pledge: freedom for all means a home for all. Please donate, volunteer, advocate, and educate. Join Family Promise of Cobb County in transforming equity from aspiration to reality.