Juneteenth: A Day of History and Honor
“Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.”
-Coretta Scott King
What it is:
Juneteenth, now an official federal holiday, is a day to commemorate the long-awaited emancipation of enslaved Black people in the United States. On June 19th of 1865 in Texas, more than 250,000 enslaved Black people were freed by the executive decree of Union troops, more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. It sparked the Reconstruction era which was a time of both beaconing hope and unfortunate struggle for newly freed and ambitious Black individuals as they navigated a still racist and rigid world. Juneteenth is a day to honor this history that was not taught to us in school or mentioned often in our textbooks, but it is also much more than that. It is a day to reject the narrative that July 4th represents liberty and freedom, and encourages us to redefine and reclaim what those words and what that day means to us. The way we carry out Juneteenth is up to us; it is a day for us to reimagine our future while also investing in our present and the causes that we care about most. It is a day to continue to demand and expect better for our people so that we can attain complete liberation one day. It is a day of joy, unapologetically. It is a day to be present and to just be us, together.
What it isn’t:
Although Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday is a cause for celebration, it is important to not be blinded by the facade of progress, equality, and true freedom that this step might seemingly signify. This is a small and overdue step, especially as many needs and concerns of the Black community have yet to be addressed or even acknowledged by our society and current administration. I instantly think of the struggle for reparations, voting equality, Black trans rights, flaws in our education system, the barbarity of our “justice system,” and our inequitable medical system that robs mothers of their children; all causes in which we have been crying out for our government to hear and work towards solving, with no avail. We can be happy for the historical decision to honor Juneteenth, but it is long overdue, and we must not settle or applaud the government for doing the bare minimum. There is still much more work to be done to be truly freed, truly liberated, from a systemically racist and bigoted world where we often struggle to find our place and purpose. So, it is not a day off. It is not a day for corporations to exploit and profit off of. It is not a day for non-Black people to take for granted or abuse. It is not a day of silence, but it is a call to action, reflection, and change. True progress must not be performative, but transformative.
How I celebrated:
A few years ago, although many many years too late, my family started to celebrate Juneteenth. For far too long, it was an unknown day with an unknown meaning and purpose, so to make up for lost time, I have made sure to fully celebrate it. For me, yesterday was about remembrance, recalibration, and restoration both as I start my summer and reflect on our history. To do that, I spent Juneteenth with some of the people that I care about most. I hung out with a close friend and then enjoyed some delicious food fresh off the grill with my family. I also read up again on the history of Juneteenth, journaled about what I was grateful for this holiday, and took every opportunity I could to embrace and exude joy, because that is what this day is all about. Unfortunately I had to babysit so my festivities were cut short, but my day was still certainly filled with love.
Reflection questions:
As this holiday weekend comes to a close, I invite you to sit and reflect upon these questions in whatever way feels authentic to you (ie: writing it in a journal, thinking outloud, prayer, etc.):
What did you learn this Juneteenth?
What do the words freedom and liberation mean to you? Do you feel free and liberated? If so, when? If not, what do you think might be in the way of it?
Do you agree with Coretta Scott King’s words about the never-ending struggle towards freedom? Why or why not?
How do you still feel the fighting spirit of your ancestors with you today?
