Juneteenth is an important landmark in not just Black history but American history
Imagine that you were a slave in the mid to late 1800’s and two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was delivered you were told you were “free”. How would you feel? What would you do? Where would you go?
These were some of the challenges that individuals faced on June 19, 1865. A day now celebrated as Juneteenth. This time in history marks a day to celebrate not only freedom, but how generations upon generations impacted our culture today by their display of perseverance, resilience, and survival during a time of darkness in our nation’s history.
Celebrating America’s Second Independence Day
Celebrating Juneteenth reminds us of the importance of civil rights and freedom. It cautions us against enacting modern forms of slavery that minimize minorities and disregard their value.
By remembering the struggle for basic human liberty, all Americans can have a better appreciation for the freedoms they enjoy today. This is a powerful lesson that generations should never forget.
Juneteenth influences how we treat each other, how we respect the diversity in our country, and how we come together as a community.
The US government may have only recently officially recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday in 2021 but it is the oldest African-American holiday in history. Continuing to celebrate Juneteenth demonstrates that we’ve grown from conflict and provides assurance that slavery will never dominate the nation as it did almost 160 years ago.
Call to Americans
Former President Barack Obama called on Americans to learn about a woman named Opal Lee. Lee is known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth who has spent years advocating for federal recognition of the holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery. Former President Obama wrote as follows:
‘NOW THAT JUNETEENTH IS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, TAKE A MINUTE TO LEARN ABOUT OPAL LEE—THE WOMAN WHO DID MORE THAN ANYONE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. LET’S FOLLOW HER LEAD AND TRY TO LEAVE OUR GRANDKIDS A BETTER WORLD THAN THE ONE WE CAME UP IN.’