#NNPA BlackPress
Chief Hall: Citizens, Clergy, elected officials Rally in support after groups give no confidence vote
NNPA NEWSWIRE — T.C. Broadnax is the Dallas city manager. He has the support of the incoming Mayor and a majority of the city council. He said as long as he is the city manager, Chief Hall will be the Police Chief. Simply put, regardless of outside noise, only the council can fire the city manager and only the city manager can fire the police chief.
By Staff Reporter, Texas Metro News Writer
From Staff Reports in response to a press conference where Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall was given a vote of no confidence, the first African American woman to serve in that post received overwhelming support that included statements from Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax, Dallas City Mayor Pro Tem Casey Thomas, Next Generation Action Network’s (NGAN) Min. Dominique Alexander, members of the clergy and community-based groups.
Citing several instances where they felt Chief Hall was not supportive, members of the National Latino Law Enforcement Organization (NLLEO) called for her firing. Dallas Chapter President George Aranda said, “We need a new crime fighter here. She fails to listen to our rank and file. She doesn’t want to take any advice from the organizations. We’re the pulse of the police department.” The other police groups have not joined in the call for a replacement and City Manager Broadnax is not bowing to the pressure.
“I am confident that Chief Hall and the dedicated officers of the Dallas Police Department are focused and committed to ensuring that the safety of our residents is a top priority,” said Mr. Broadnax, who has the authority to hire and fire the chief. “Chief Hall’s strategic approach to restructuring DPD has helped maximize resources and align the department to be more responsive to the needs of our community. Through her leadership, Chief Hall has worked to improve efficiencies within the department, provide high quality service to every Dallas resident, enhance the department’s community engagement and outreach efforts, and address crime more proactively.”
Mr. Broadnax added that the Chief has his “support and full confidence in her ability to continue leading the department.” In response to NLLEO, Mr. Thomas said, “Let me put some things in context. First, the city manager hires and fires the Police Chief. The Mayor and City Council hires the city manager. Unless there are at least eight members of the city council who decide to fire the city manager, the city manager is safe.
T.C. Broadnax is the Dallas city manager. He has the support of the incoming Mayor and a majority of the city council. He said as long as he is the city manager, Chief Hall will be the Police Chief. Simply put, regardless of outside noise, only the council can fire the city manager and only the city manager can fire the police chief.
Chief Hall is not in danger of being fired and she has my full support.” Min. Alexander, who was mentioned in the press conference, issued a public statement and held a press conference where he reiterated support for the Chief:
“NGAN Leadership wants the public to know that the community stands behind Chief Hall. In her short time as police chief she has done so much.” Further support of the Chief came from the African American Pastors Coalition: “The African American Pastors Coalition stands in support of Chief Hall. We urge all citizens of the City of Dallas to join us in a unified effort to support her continued leadership of the Dallas Police Department. She has made prominent steps to transform the department to reflect 21st Century Policing. Chief Hall has prioritized community engagement and outreach by connecting with officers in the field, meeting with Dallas community groups, professional leaders and local organizers.
Under Chief Hall’s leadership, the department has implemented 5 strategic priorities: crime reduction, increased recruitment, advanced officer development, improved organizational effectiveness, and enhanced community relationships. In addition, Chief Hall has engaged the school districts and local colleges to generate a student pipeline and internship program. She has increased internal accessibility to her office and has overseen several General Order and policy changes within the department.”
Councilmember B. Adam McGough, Chairman of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, releases the following statement: “Throughout my tenure, I have fought hard to support our police officers. The daily sacrifices they make are undeniable, and the challenges they currently face are without question. I will continue to ask questions and urge Chief Hall to provide strategic solutions and measurable outcomes to reduce crime across our city and to give our officers the support they have rightfully earned. Healthy government must allow us to be critical and challenge ideas so that progress can occur, and we need strong leadership in our police department with transparent and objective performance measures. I do not support calling for Chief Hall’s removal. Dallas, now more than ever, must come together in unity and strength. A leadership transition of this magnitude puts everyone at greater risk. The safety of our neighbors and our community must come first. The City of Dallas will not tolerate crime, and we will work together to make our neighborhoods safe.”
While Chief Hall has not responded to the NLLEO, in attendance at the Women’s Leadership Summit, hosted by former State Rep. Helen Giddings, she did ask for prayers, and had no problem with securing prayer warriors in the room.
#NNPA BlackPress
EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025
The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.
You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.
After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”
“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.
Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.
The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.
As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.
Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.
And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.
Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.
Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.
I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.
I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.
In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.
For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.
So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.
Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.
I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”
Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.
#NNPA BlackPress
Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.
In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.
Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.
In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.
Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.
West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.
Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.
“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”
#NNPA BlackPress
Juneteenth and President Trump
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent
President Trump is set to proclaim the federal observance of Juneteenth as the White House is open for business on this holiday. The White House says the president will sign a “historic proclamation designating Juneteenth as a National Day of Observance, marking the 160th anniversary of General Order Number 3 in Galveston, Texas.” The declaration was that “all slaves are free.” This Trump proclamation, according to the White House, “will celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republican Party’s role in passing the 13th Amendment, and reaffirm the administration’s dedication to equal justice and prosperity for all.”
This proclamation comes as President Trump has denounced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and anything Woke. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom from the tyranny of 250 years of slavery after the Civil War.
The Juneteenth celebration started when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and told the slaves that they were free on June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was created.
The Emancipation Proclamation, which is on display in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”
Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
The Juneteenth federal holiday was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden on June 19, 2021. This Trump White House is in full swing today, with a press briefing by Karoline Leavitt, not taking the federal holiday off. Also, President Trump will receive an intelligence briefing in the morning and participate in a swearing-in ceremony for the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.
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