Monday, June 15, 2026
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT
Location: Online Via Livestream
As the U.S. commemorates Juneteenth, marking the end of slavery in the United States, the nation also prepares to celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4. While the Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” enslavement did not end in this country until 1865, 89 years after the signing of this founding document of the U.S.
Since the first Juneteenth, significant legal and cultural changes, including the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, have sought to address lingering injustices for Black Americans and historically excluded people. And yet, in recent years, the U.S. has witnessed judicial and legislative actions that threaten civil rights, racial justice, and the pursuit of liberty for all. At this significant moment for our nation, how should we both celebrate our nation’s founding and the progress we’ve made, and still remember the history, address the pain, and act to secure justice and freedom for all Americans?
Catholic teaching tells us that racism is a sin, a national moral failure, and a fundamental test of our faith. As we celebrate Juneteenth and our nation’s two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, this dialogue will look at the Voting Rights Act and its contested future – including the recent Supreme Court decision that significantly altered Section 2, and the redistricting steps some states have since moved to take – and the broader questions these developments raise about civil rights and the health of our democracy. We will also explore how diversity contributes to the strength of our universities, Church, and nation as — together — we seek to build a more perfect union.
Kimberly Mazyck, associate director for engagement of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, will moderate the dialogue.
Recording
The dialogue starting at 12:30 p.m. EDT will be recorded and posted online for later viewing.
Participants
Bishop-elect Robert Boxie III
Bishop-elect Robert Boxie III was appointed in May by Pope Leo XIV to be a new auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington. He is the Catholic chaplain for Howard University and has been a priest in the Archdiocese of Washington since 2016.
Melvin Rogers
Melvin Rogers is the Edna and Richard Salomon Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Associate Director of the Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Brown University. He is the author of The Darkened Light of Faith: Race, Democracy, and Freedom in African American Political Thought (2023).
Diann Rust-Tierney
Diann Rust-Tierney is an associate professor of law at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. Prior to joining the UDC Law faculty, she served as the executive director of the Racial Justice Institute and adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
Accessibility
All accommodation requests should be sent to cathsocialthought@georgetown.edu by June 12. A good-faith effort will be made to fulfill requests.