Dear Settlement Music School Community,

On June 19, 1865, news of the end of the Civil War and the long-awaited abolition of slavery reached Galveston, TX, over two months after the formal end of the war. However, true equality under the law did not come to Black and African Americans immediately. Our country’s journey toward anti-racism is still a work in progress. June 19, or Juneteenth, is a reminder of that ongoing work.

The bedrock of Settlement Music School is the cultivation of community through creative arts education. We know a strong creative community can only be one in which all people are welcome and supported. While on Juneteenth we celebrate the 1865 end to slavery, we also recognize there is still great work to be done—both within our studios and performance spaces as well as our surrounding communities.

It is in this spirit that we have added Juneteenth as an official school holiday in our upcoming 2021-2022 school year.

Whether you come to Settlement to teach, learn, work, or volunteer, it is our mission to be a place that you can call your creative home. Thank you for your support as we continue to create more inclusive and welcoming spaces within our buildings and in the communities we serve. We wish you all a very happy Juneteenth.

Warm regards,
Helen Eaton
CEO, Settlement Music School