Pennsylvania and Juneteenth
The story of how Pennsylvania came to formally recognize Juneteenth is a story of family, advocacy, and the long work of civic commitment. It took 154 years from June 19, 1865 to the Governor's desk in 2019.
Act 9 of 2019
House Bill 619, enacted as Act 9 of 2019, established Juneteenth as an official Pennsylvania state holiday. The effort had been building for years through the advocacy of Carolyn Mills (Nee Lawson) and the civic relationships of Stanley R. Lawson Sr.
The Road to Passage
Representative Sue Helm was the legislative champion behind House Bill 619. The effort, however, had been building for years through the advocacy of Carolyn Mills (née Lawson). Carolyn organized the public campaign for recognition, and her persistence carried the cause directly to Representative Helm's office.
In 2012, Carolyn founded Keystone Juneteenth Observance, a Pennsylvania nonprofit dedicated to preserving Juneteenth history, education, and community remembrance. Although Carolyn passed away in October 2018 before Act 9 became law, her advocacy established the foundation that made its eventual passage possible. Representative Helm has publicly credited Carolyn's persistence as instrumental to the effort.
Representative Sue Helm Reflects on the Journey
In her own words, Representative Sue Helm describes how she met Stan Lawson, how Carolyn Mills (Nee Lawson) walked into her Capitol office with a singular request, and how Pennsylvania came to pass Act 9 of 2019.
In Her Own Words
Representative Sue Helm, 104th Legislative District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
"When she walked in the office, she said, 'Before I die, I want Juneteenth National Freedom Day to become a law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.'"
- On Carolyn Mills (Nee Lawson) walking into her Capitol office
The Lawson Legacy
The Lawson family's contribution to Juneteenth recognition spans more than fifty years, three siblings, and two states. Each sibling made a distinct contribution through public service, community organizing, or legislative advocacy. Together, their efforts helped advance Juneteenth from local observances in Iowa and Pennsylvania to official recognition under Pennsylvania law, helping build the national momentum that ultimately led to federal recognition in 2021.
Stanley R. Lawson Sr.
1941 – 2025 | Civic Pioneer
Stan was one of the most influential African American civic and political leaders in Harrisburg history. A U.S. Navy veteran and lifelong Republican, he spent more than five decades breaking racial and institutional barriers across local government, labor, and civic organizations. His work across party lines built the Capitol relationships that Juneteenth legislation required, and when Carolyn brought the cause to Representative Helm's office, Stan was there to support it.
First African American elected to Harrisburg City Council (1969)
First African American Vice President of Harrisburg City Council
First African American Chairman, Dauphin County Republican Committee
First African American President, Susquehanna Township Board of Commissioners
First African American State President, AFSCME Council 13
Longest-serving NAACP President in Pennsylvania history
Gary Lawson
Iowa Juneteenth Observance | Founder & General Chair Emeritus
Born in Harrisburg, Gary later relocated to Iowa, where in 1990 he founded the Iowa Juneteenth Observance. He served as General Chair from 1990 to 2012 and again in 2015, and holds the title of General Chair Emeritus.
On April 11, 2002, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack signed legislation establishing Juneteenth as an official day of recognition in Iowa, to be observed annually on the third Saturday in June, among the earliest state-level Juneteenth recognitions in the country, nearly two decades before federal recognition in 2021.
In February 2015, the Iowa House of Representatives adopted House Resolution 11, formally acknowledging the 25th Anniversary of the Iowa Juneteenth Observance and recognizing its role as a cultural and historical asset to Iowa's citizens. That same year, the State Historical Society of Iowa accepted deeded artifacts from the organization for inclusion in its permanent museum collection.
Founder & General Chair Emeritus
Iowa Juneteenth Observance
Founder, Keystone Juneteenth Observance
Carolyn Mills (Nee Lawson)
Keystone Juneteenth Observance | Founder
Inspired by her brother Gary's work in Iowa, Carolyn founded the Keystone Juneteenth Observance in 2012, dedicated to Juneteenth history and preservation.
A career civil servant with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Carolyn began her public service in the office of the Honorable George Gekas and retired having served in various administrative capacities. She was a proud and active AFSCME Union member throughout her career.
For more than 50 years, Carolyn gave her time and resources to uplift those in need through the Harrisburg Branch of the NAACP, the Edgemont Senior Center, First Spirit-Filled Missionary Baptist Church, and the Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation she founded. She received numerous national, state, and local awards, most notably from the National Juneteenth Foundation and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Carolyn passed away in October 2018, months before Act 9 was signed. The legislation stands, in part, as a tribute to her.
"Carolyn Mills, Stan Lawson, thank you. You really did a great job, a nice service, helped me get that bill through, and now we're celebrating Juneteenth National Freedom Day."
Representative Sue Helm, 104th Legislative District
Pennsylvania's Juneteenth Story Continues
Find Juneteenth events across Pennsylvania, explore the national history, and join the statewide coalition.