What You Ordered vs. What You Got - Juneteenth Edition
Juneteenth Emancipation Day Celebration, June 19, 1900, Texas by Mrs. Charles Stephenson via Wikimedia Commons
It's official - Juneteenth is a federal holiday.
Yesterday, June 17, 2021, President Biden signed S.475 into law and the United States officially made Juneteenth a federal holiday. Juneteenth, recognized annually on June 19th each year, commemorates the arrival of Union General Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas. Upon his arrival, he made a speech informing enslaved African Americans of the end of the Civil War and their freedom (side note: the Emancipation Proclamation sought to free all enslaved people in 1863, however, two years passed before the news reached Texas. And many remained enslaved well after the Emancipation Proclamation’s signing).
To some, the creation of a federal holiday to commemorate Juneteenth felt long overdue and an opportunity to educate people about the evils of slavery and just how long it persisted. Others viewed it as only right to have a holiday to celebrate that moment when enslaved Texans learned about their emancipation, instead of just celebrating America’s emancipation on July 4th. Frederick Douglass’s famous speech, What to the Slave is the 4th of July?, helps to illustrate the dilemma.
But I'm worried, Village. I’m worried that this federal holiday passage will eventually dilute the remembrance of Juneteenth. How? Well, here are some of the specific things I fear:
Instead of reflecting on the fact that it took two years for the news of emancipation to reach Texas, lawmakers will tweet / post out-of-conext quotes about freedom while actively blocking efforts to teach children about the atrocities of slavery.
I’m worried that instead of a day of remembrance, celebration, and reflection, we'll get flash sales from mattress stores.
I fear that Juneteenth will go the way of Memorial Day, a holiday that was likely first celebrated in Charleston, SC as a remembrance of soldiers that fought to end slavery. Today, Memorial Day focuses on the loss of all soldiers, however, I can’t recall a time when I’ve heard mention specifically of the fight for emancipation during the Civil War. I don’t want Juneteenth to become a day that celebrates freedom for all without acknowledging the hard-fought freedom that Juneteenth honors.
I pray there will never be a day when Juneteenth goes the way of Cinco de Mayo. Today, we rarely mention the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Instead, the day is largely celebrated as an excuse to party, with a heavy dose of cultural appropriation.
Like I said, I’m worried, y’all.
Some might think I worry too much (trust me, it wouldn’t be the first time I hear that feedback). Instead of worrying, some may think I should be glad for the acknowledgement now, and should use this as an opportunity to raise awareness and fight for the things we care about.
I couldn’t agree more. Here’s a partial list of legislative priorities that would be useful steps towards the continued liberation of Black people. I’d love to see our government successfully accomplish the following as quickly as Juneteenth was made a holiday:
Pass the For the People Act (S.1 - 117th Congress), making needed reforms to voting ethics and campaign finance rules, and making voting easier and more accessible to all.
Pass the Emmett Till Antilynching Act (H.R.55 - 117th Congress), making any offense involving lynching a hate crime. Initially introduced in 2019, it was opposed by Rand Paul and has yet to pass as of this writing.
Pass the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act (H.R.40 - 117th Congress),and use the data and evidence learned from the study to inform policies to assist Black people impacted by the legacy of slavery.
Do not pass the Saving American History Act (S.4292 - 116th), legislation that aims to cut federal funding from schools that choose to use elements of the 1619 project in their American history curriculum.
Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 1280 - 117th Congress), legislation that aims to prevent officer misconduct and increase accountability.
Image by @teachandtransform via Instagram
The list above is by no means exhaustive. The issues that they seek to address have continued to create barriers to true freedom for Black people since 1865. The fact that we are still fighting for the reparations we were promised, for a true account of history to be taught, for the right to live freely without fear of lynching or police brutality...like I said, I’m worried.
With that said, in the midst of my worry, there have been some reasons for hope and inspiration - especially Ms. Opal Lee of Fort Worth, TX. When the Juneteenth law was officially signed, President Biden greeted 94-year-old Opal Lee on bended knee, calling her the Grandmother of Juneteenth. After learning more about her story, I’m convinced we all have a lot to learn from her. An educator and active member of her community, Ms. Lee has dedicated much of her time to her efforts to make Juneteenth nationally recognized. After more than 20 years as an educator, Ms. Lee retired and focused on her many civic activities, including work with the Tarrant County Black Historical & Genealogical Society, AIDS Outreach committee, Evans Avenue Business Association, and as an active member in her church, Baker Chapel AME where she serves as a Missionary, church school teacher, assistant teacher and Deaconess. She is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Ms. Lee launched Opal’s Walk 2 DC in 2016 (at age 89?!?). According to her website, Ms. Lee “...started with the plan to walk the 1,400 miles from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC in hopes of gaining support from Congress to officially name Juneteenth a national holiday. With the goal of 100,000 petition signatures...she has since reached over 1.5 million signatures.”
When I look at community elders and activists like Ms. Lee, my worries wane for a bit. I can’t help but feel joy when I think of all Ms. Lee went through over the course of her life, and I hope she feels deep joy and satisfaction knowing that her work has borne fruit. So, while I’ll continue to give a hesitant side-eye to mainstream Juneteenth celebrations and will be unsurprised at the inevitable Juneteenth flash sale at Walmart in 2022, I will personally celebrate Juneteenth by renewing my commitment to liberation work. Like Ms. Lee says, “None of us are free until we’re all free. And freedom is what we still have to work toward.”
To hear this quote along with a visual of Ms. Lee in all her glory, click here.