Perkins community reflects on the legacy of Juneteenth
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
For generations, Juneteenth has served as both a celebration and a call to action – a remembrance of freedom delayed and a testament to the resilience of those who refused to abandon hope. At Perkins School of Theology at SMU, students and alumni continue to engage the theological, historical and spiritual significance of Juneteenth, exploring how faith communities can honor the holiday’s legacy.
A deeper understanding of freedom
A native Texan and secretary of the Black Seminarians Association (BSA), Dunn says her understanding of Juneteenth was shaped long before she arrived at Perkins.
“I am a native Texan, so I’ve always had a very good understanding of Juneteenth,” Dunn said. “I’ve known what it was about from the beginning and have celebrated it all of my life.”
Yet theological education has deepened her understanding of what freedom, liberation and justice mean within a faith context.
“As a freedom fighter myself, I see parallels and unique ties toward God and justice,” Dunn said.
Dunn points to theologians such as James Cone, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Gustavo Gutiérrez, along with immersion courses at Perkins, as influences that have strengthened her understanding of liberation and expanded her justice lens.
For Dunn, the reality of delayed freedom displayed on Juneteenth remains deeply relevant today.
“Texans were already free and didn’t know it,” she said. “It falls right in line with the level of oppression and misinformation that African Americans are accustomed to. The fight continues.”
Even so, she believes remembrance must be accompanied by ongoing conversation and community engagement.
“We must keep having these conversations, asking these questions and sharing our heritage,” Dunn said. “We can’t stop talking. We can’t quit.”
Her reflection on Juneteenth is rooted in Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 22:37-40, which calls believers to love God and love their neighbors.
“Everything hangs from our love for God and then others,” Dunn said. “Anything outside of this type of love is not God and is a barrier to our fundamental goal as children of God.”
A legacy of formation
Born and raised in Midland, Texas, Phelps comes from a family that helped shape one of the state's longstanding Juneteenth traditions.
“Black Midlanders have been celebrating Juneteenth in Midland for nearly 100 years,” Phelps said. “It has consistently been a day of celebration and a call to action.”
As Juneteenth has gained national recognition, Phelps has seen it embraced more broadly as a cultural independence day for Black Americans.
Phelps' commitment to liberation theology was formed through a lifetime of exposure to Black faith traditions before being further refined through his studies at Morehouse College, Perkins and Duke Divinity School.
“Liberation is, and should be, the theological imperative of the Christian,” he said. “Anyone professing Christ must understand Jesus’ work to be that of liberation.”
Drawing on Luke 4:16-19, Phelps argues that Christians are called to challenge systems that limit human flourishing and to work toward communities marked by justice, safety and love.
That conviction informs both his ministry and his understanding of Juneteenth.
“Joy is resistance,” he said. “Juneteenth has been the work of my ministry, and as a Black person, Juneteenth is a way of life. It is a habit of joy and justice.”
For Phelps, faithful remembrance demands sustained engagement with the unfinished work of freedom – a calling that extends far beyond Juneteenth itself.
“Juneteenth is a declaration of independence,” he said. “We cannot celebrate Juneteenth one day and not address injustices that limit human thriving. Juneteenth is not a moment, it's a movement.”
Continuing the work of freedom
Together, Dunn and Phelps illustrate how Juneteenth continues to shape personal and theological journeys. Through continued pursuit of justice and an enduring call to love their neighbors, they embody the spirit of Juneteenth and its ongoing legacy.