President Biden on Thursday signed legislation to make Juneteenth one of ten nationally recognized federal holidays. This marks the fourth holiday added to the national calendar in the last 100 years. I must admit the symbolism is indeed something to take note of. It’s an exciting moment for so many members of the Black community who fought relentlessly to see this day come to fruition.
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The celebration started with the freed slaves of Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the South in 1863, naturally Black in our entirety people didn’t find out until two years after the fact. The next year, the now-free people started celebrating Juneteenth in Galveston. Its observance has continued around the nation and the world since. Events include concerts, parades and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.
I read a very touching story about a 94 year old woman named Opal Lee. She worked for decades to get the Juneteenth movement recognized on a national scale. Her work took the form of walking campaigns in the cities that were near her home in Ft. Worth Texas. I am in awe at the members of our communities who can reference a time of bondage with personal knowledge. This nation still has work to do to reckon with our racial past, but it’s encouraging to know that we have not become completely stagnant in that process – often times it feels that way. We are slowly, but surely living to see the day, and that’s nice.
I find deep joy in having our stories woven into the American story, but I am a long way from satisfaction. This nation’s open acknowledgment of the ills committed against the Black community without more is not enough. America has shown herself to have poor customer service as it relates to the Black community. Overdue accommodations don’t negate restrictive and inhumane experiences either. The experience is what our nation has to focus on changing, not just the perspective.
I’ll still be fully celebrating Juneteenth. I’ll enjoy the paid holiday too! But what I won’t do is act like this holiday is compensation for delayed participation in the American dream. It’s not. The issues that directly impact our economic, physical, and emotional well-being are still under uninterrupted attack.
Juneteenth is a nice gesture.
However, congress members like Shelia Jackson Lee have been advocating for the federal holiday for almost 20 years. It’s amazing to see how quickly our government actually has the ability to move when an issue is of pressing concern.
Republican led states across the nation introduced legislation to restrict voting rights after the 2020 election. The election was historical so this concentrated effort to halt progress is not a coincidence at all. I might be afraid if I wasn’t so offended by the blatant audacity.
History has a way of repeating itself, so the inadvertent undercut on the Black community isn’t anything new. We have a keen ability to excel independent of the oppressive systems put in place to confine our excellence though. That gives me confidence.
I believe this generation is already ignited and passionate about real issues. We are also bold enough to speak out when things are unjust. I’d dare say that the challenges that lie ahead excite us. The aid of technology arguably gives us an ability no generation before us had. That’s the ability to connect, forge connections, and organize toward a solution.
What I admire most about us though is our unique ability to balance play and real-life responsibilities. Maybe it’s because we’ve come to see just how much our ability to do one impacts our ability to do the other. You can’t play if you don’t work and you can’t work if you don’t play.
So with that in mind, I’m going to enjoy this first nationally recognized Juneteenth. I’ll be back on June 20th advocating for the culture. I hope you’ll do the same.
With love,