“What to a slave is the Fourth of July?“
Frederick Douglas
In 2021 President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law after the efforts of Lula Briggs Galloway and others lobbied.
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of slaves in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. It is a common misconception that all slaves were freed through President Abraham Lincoln‘s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. In reality, this enactment was only the first step.
It took two and a half years until Major General Gordon Granger told a reluctant community on June 19 in Galveston, Texas, that enslaved people were free and that Union troops wouldn’t force it.
The first Juneteenth to commemorate the official day in Galveston began the following year, in 1866. The holiday also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, or Emancipation Day, spread across the country as African-Americans migrated away from the South.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday observed every year on June 19. How will it be celebrated? People celebrate everywhere, from backyard barbecues and Bloc parties to big concerts, festivals, and parades. There are marathons, Miss Juneteenth contests, educational programs, commemorative art exhibitions, program showcase in black culture, readings are the emancipation proclamation, and more. Traditional African foods may be served in red food and drinks or feature to symbolize resilience and joy.
Before you can observe Juneteenth, you should know why it’s significant. Once you understand the history, you can look at possible celebrations and decide what’s best for you.
Randomly we asked the question, “How should we celebrate Juneteenth?”
Betty Magness
Illinois Political Director for PUSH
We ought to commemorate the slaves in Texas who didn’t know we were free. There should be a celebration of some sort.
I bought a T-shirt to wear for the day.
Doris Davenport
PR Account Executive for Broadway Chicago
Juneteenth should be celebrated where Black folk honor one another. We are always magnifying others. We should magnify ourselves. We should highlight people who are beautiful and living among us. We should celebrate the uncelebrated, not necessarily the VIPs who make the press every day, but people that we know who further our race, young and old. Everybody can call a radio station, TV station, or newspaper and tell them about someone they know, an unsung hero who consistently does the work to further our community.
Dr. Wayne Watson
Former Chancellor of City Colleges and President of Chicago State University
I have mixed emotions. I don’t know if I am for celebrating Juneteenth. They told a lie, they hid the lie, and then they told us two years later, and now you tell us to celebrate. Really?
Angel Burdette
CNN Executive
I am going to a cookout and festival that will feature black-owned vendors and small businesses, and I will buy from them.
Pamela Webb-Louik
Public Relations Executive
I am really big on doing something simple. Read. Read something about Juneteenth. Read something about slavery.
Art Norman
TV Personality
A must-watch at the high school level is the Harriet Tubman movie. We have to teach Black History in a big way to everybody in America. This is the best thing we can do.
Edward Cruzat
Entrepreneur
The movie about Harriet Tubman was impressive. She was the most heroic individual because she freed us and told us to stand up. She was fighting. She was defiant; her lesson was to stand up.
Dr. Howard Bolling
Dr. of Pharmacy in Chicago
Teach Black history in schools.
Jackie Taylor
Executive Director – Black Ensemble Theater
We must understand and create a learning circle to appreciate Juneteenth and what it means to our culture and history. We need to talk about what it means.
Final observations – The importance of Juneteenth. It serves as a reminder of our past experiences and our potential. It puts Black people at the forefront of discussions about freedom and what that means.
All Black Americans should heed the call to action on Juneteenth.
