Some refer to June 19 as Freedom Day, others call it Emancipation Day, but it is most widely known as Juneteenth. If you live in America, you shouldn't just know about this holiday, you should be celebrating it. Read on to find out how and why you should pay attention to Juneteenth this year, the holiday that defined how millions of citizens were able to pursue freedom and happiness.
Because June 19, 1865, is an important date
On New Year's Day in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed an executive order abolishing slavery. News of the liberation spread throughout the country, but some states received word much slower than others — namely, Texas. It took two and a half years (June 19, 1865) for the residents of the Lone Star State to find out that the relationship that had previously been between owner and slave was changed to that of "employer and free laborer."
It's Independence Day for all
Independence Day, hands down, is one of the most beloved holidays in the United States, and we celebrate our country's freedom on July 4. But in the words of poet Emma Lazarus, "Until we are all free, we are none of us free." Because of this truth, Juneteenth should be celebrated as the day when all Americans were liberated.
A time to teach
Children arrive in this world completely innocent and unaware of the wrongs done by those before them. Tactfully approaching the subject of our country's dark history is enough to give any parent a bit of anxiety. Knowing when to bring up the topic to kids is just as crucial. Celebrating Juneteenth can introduces this necessary knowledge to your child while highlighting the end of slavery.
Acknowledge the past
Tension tends to grow thick in a room when the conversation turns toward slavery. The way to push through the awkwardness without offending anyone or wanting to duck into a corner is to try to empathize and listen before responding. Slavery isn't very far back in our past, and the way to deal with it is to acknowledge how the forced bondage of yesterday affects our society today.
There's a shared history
From 1619, when the first slave ships landed in Jamestown, Virginia, until soldiers arrived in Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865, slaves were building the brand-new USA. Even though people were divided by unimaginable racism, there is an American origin story that involves all of us. Juneteenth puts a spotlight on one of the more triumphant moments in time, when we began to collectively change our minds.
Congress supports Juneteenth
In June 2009, Senator Roland Burris introduced a resolution observing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day. This document finally shows that the federal government is attempting to support important parts of African American heritage that haven't been given fair exposure in the past. There are long strides to make in the pursuit of equality for all, but if Congress can unanimously decide that Juneteenth is historically relevant enough to celebrate, what's stopping the rest of us?
Set the example
As the generations before us have proven, we are a progressive species. Our parents tried to improve on what our grandparents achieved, and we are going to spend the rest of our lives trying to make Mom and Pop proud. The only way our children will make a better world for their future sons and daughters is if we show them how. Recognizing Juneteenth is an influential way to be a powerful example of progression.
The nation began to transition
When Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Texas and read off the orders of ceased slavery, people had mixed reactions. Some former slaves immediately left the plantations they'd known as home, even if they had no other place to go. Some resistant ex-owners did everything they could to stop what they thought of as their "property" from leaving. This frantic reaction was called "The Scatter" and reflected the extreme gravity Juneteenth had on the lives of Americans during the nation's transition.
Some never saw freedom
Clara Brown was a black woman born into slavery but freed when she was in her 50s. She later went on to profit from the gold rush, own a successful business, and reunite with a daughter who was separated from her during slavery. Because some former slave owners were so opposed to the emancipation of their former "property," they caused physical harm, and even murdered many of those attempting to claim their freedom. Juneteenth is a time to remember and honor the lives of slaves who never got a chance to touch their promised freedom.
Find a place to celebrate
The essence of Juneteenth is best felt outdoors, where large groups can gather, fire up the grill, and be loud and proud about such a culturally significant day. After Granger delivered the message of emancipation, the results were not instant. Discrimination against black people continued to prevent them from using public facilities to celebrate, and it took a while before anyone had any land to offer up for a day of fun. Celebrate Juneteenth outdoors — while social distancing, of course.
It almost disappeared
Juneteenth celebrations were popular in Southern states, especially in Texas, but the early 1900s came with economic and educational issues that prevented the spread of mass celebrating. Employers weren't willing to give workers time off when Independence Day was only weeks away, and schools didn't mention Juneteenth as a day of significance. This all-important day in American history almost disappeared from memory.
The last became first
Texas may have been the last place to receive General Order Number 3, but it was the first to make Juneteenth an official state holiday. Now, most states observe June 19 as a day of historical importance. That isn't to say that racial and equality issues were miraculously ironed out overnight, as we still feel the ripple of the nation's birth. But we know that growth is possible, and that one state can take the lead in a race it initially seemed sure to lose.
It inspired pop-culture references
Juneteenth has started getting the exposure in pop culture that it deserves. The ABC show Black-ish dedicated its debut episode of season four entirely to the African American holiday. The show, known for dropping an entertaining history lesson within each episode, performed quick musical pieces to educate the audience. The FX series and dark-humored Atlanta showed Donald Glover's character attending a Juneteenth celebration in the first season. TV series like these show great examples of how to celebrate Freedom Day while exposing an event worth talking about to a large audience.
An opportunity for cultural exposure
In the increasingly globalized world we are becoming, it is more valuable than ever that we become more well-rounded, empathetic individuals. Empathy cannot happen without an attempt to understand what is different from you. Juneteenth opens up the opportunity for that conversation. If you are a person of color, celebrate with a non-POC to broaden his understanding. If you're a non-POC, attend local events that expose you to African Americans you can talk to and learn from. Juneteenth is not meant to be divisive, but rather to unite.
There are themes to be proud of
Before the Emancipation Proclamation was enforced, it was strongly discouraged, and in some cases illegal, to teach slaves how to read and write. The object was to keep captive blacks from being able to organize and use knowledge to defend themselves. Now, strong themes of Juneteenth are education and continuous self-improvement, areas of concentration to counter the oppression that kept African Americans from being able to freely pursue happiness.
To understand former restrictions
Just like the restrictions on education, enslaved black people had strict orders on what they were and were not allowed to wear. Clothes were rationed out, made of uncomfortable fabric, and sometimes not even given to younger children at all. Clothing was even used to divide blacks on the same plantation, with better garments given to slaves who worked in-house and creating a rivalry to prevent organizing. Because of this, dressing how you want, how slaves were not able to, is a way of embracing the liberty that comes with Emancipation Day.
Because there's not enough on the books
The French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon." Ringing true in the ears of African Americans throughout history, blacks and their ancestors were little more than a blip in textbooks written in the 19th and 20th centuries. Slavery was glossed over, and people like Christopher Columbus were given preference to be revered over the millions of slaves who were born into chains. Juneteenth is the reminder that we need to change the course of history and agree on the truth instead of what is convenient.
Remember the Poor People's March
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated before he got to see one of his biggest dreams, the Poor People's March on Washington, D.C., come to fruition. Later in the same year he died, Rev. Ralph Abernathy took MLK's place as head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, where thousands of people from mixed backgrounds gathered from all over. On the last day of the Poor People's March of 1968, Abernathy threw a Juneteenth celebration that is believed to have been what spread the traditions of the holiday throughout the US and helped it gain popularity.
To celebrate resilience
Crimson is used as the official color to symbolize African Americans' resilience and ingenuity while being held in chains. That's why, if you go to any traditional Juneteenth party, you'll find red velvet cake, Texas-made Big Red pop, and hot links simmering on the grill. Texas started these traditions, but ways to celebrate have expanded to include spiritual experiences, including meditation and prayer. There is no one way you have to celebrate, so an event as quiet as watching documentaries about slavery on Netflix with your family can pay homage to this ever-important holiday.
To be the difference you need to see
Museums like the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture typically mark Juneteenth with exhibitions showcasing the history of slavery and freedom. Local libraries and museums typically do as well, but the current health situation has changed a lot of plans. If there are no planned public events this year, be the difference you need to see. If no one is celebrating Emancipation Day, be the first to call up your friends, organize a FaceTime or Zoom call, drink some strawberry soda, and converse about the events of and leading up to June 19.