Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to ensure that enslaved people were freed. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States and is an important moment in American history to commemorate. For too long, we have separated “Black History” and “American History,” not recognizing how inextricable the two are.
Juneteenth is an acknowledgement of the fact that it took almost two and a half years for slavery to “officially” end after the Emancipation Proclamation. Two and a half years when Blacks were still in servitude and should not have been. This is still relevant in the present day, as Blacks are still experiencing racism and servitude (read The New Jim Crow by Monica Alexander or watch 13TH on Netflix). Black and Brown parents are still laying their children to rest because of the racism that exists. Black and Brown people are still being traumatized by seeing their peers, friends, and families experience the violence of racism. Black and Brown families are still losing their loved ones to incarceration due to racism. The relevance of this holiday is deeply rooted in the pain that racism is still inflicting on the American people.
It is also important for us to celebrate what Juneteenth honors- freedom. We should celebrate the freedom we have, while also recognizing those we are still working towards. Find ways to celebrate in your community on June 19th and beyond: support a Black owned business, donate to an organization fighting for equality, march at a protest or rally, join a community celebration, visit a historical museum or site to remember those who were lost to slavery, educate yourself on the impact slavery still has on our country, and keep fighting for equality and justice.