A Break Down of What it Means for Juneteenth to be an Official U.S. Holiday, The Significance of Celebration, and Why Our Fight Is Not Over

Were you off from work yesterday? Are you cooking out today, performing ancestral veneration, fellowshipping with family and friends, or engaging in Black artistic expression? Are you decked out in Black-cultural attire?  Why all the questions you ask? Because yesterday marked the first observance of Juneteenth as a legal holiday in the U.S. and today is Juneteenth.  This article shares some facts about the governmental recognition of Juneteenth, reasons to celebrate Black ancestors, and reminders for why strides toward justice and equality must continue.

On Thursday June 17th Juneteenth was incepted as a legal public holiday in the United States. Officially titled Juneteenth National Independence Day, the proposal for the public holiday was introduced by the Senate via the bill S. 475, under the title “Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.  While Black people in America have long been celebrating the Juneteenth as a commemoration of …., the celebrations have gained popularity in recent years which has led to more celebrations and greater knowledge of what enslaved Africans encountered in the process of becoming emancipated from enslavement- there is an emphasis on process here because freedom from physical bondage was not a single day event.  With no Twitter, IG, Facebook Snapchat, no modern telephones, and no advanced courier system the word that slavery was to end in the United States did not spread on January 1^st, 1863, with the announcement of The Emancipation Proclamation. Nor did slavery end collectively throughout the U.S. on January 31^st, 1865 with the passing of the 13^thamendment, or with the ratification of the 13^th amendment on December 6^th, 1865 because many states prolonged the process and many enslavers opted not to share the message with enslaved Africans.  There are many troubling dates regarding the ending of chattel slavery and physical bondage of Black bodies in America, and it did not occur simultaneously, but the day commemorated by Black people as a marker of physical freedom from slavery in America is June 19^th, 1866.  

• June 19^th, 1866 is recognized as the first annual Juneteenth celebration.  It was organized by freed Black people in Texas in commemoration of an elapsed year since enslaved Africans had gained knowledge of slavery’s end in June of 1865, which was several months after the 13th amendment was passed.  In 1865 Texas is said to have held 250,000 enslaved Africans.  Texas was amongst the last states to ratify the 13^thamendment in the 1800s (Mississippi was the last to do so officially in February of 2013) but it was the first to make Juneteenth a state recognized holiday in 1979.  
• Celebrations of Juneteenth are now vast in the U.S. and the day remains significant at present because it allows for the remembrance and recognition of enslaved Black people including their strength, ingenuity, contributions, perseverance, and their tenacity that was passed to subsequent generations.
• The strides toward equality, equity, freedom, and protection that exist in 2021 are part of a very long history of Black address of wrongdoings and mistreatment in America based on race.  While the recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday is a momentous occasion, there is much left to be done to achieve equality for Black people in America. 

 As you celebrate today, be sure open your mind to learning more about Juneteenth, Black history, and what you can do to aid in the development of equality for Black people in America.