Join me in recognizing Juneteenth 2023 after the date was finally christened a federal holiday in 20221.
It was on June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved Black Americans (in Galveston, Texas) were notified by Union Civil War soldiers about the abolition of slavery – over two years after the final Emancipation Proclamation which freed all enslaved Black Americans.
This Juneteenth, we remember that the promise of America is that we're all created equal.
And my promise to you is that I'll never walk away from that.
Let's move forward, together. pic.twitter.com/MenzRNrXQJ
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 19, 2023
In 2021, President Biden signed legislation making June 19th a federal holiday recognizing Juneteenth. The Senate had approved the bill unanimously; only 14 House Republicans — many representing states that were part of the slave-holding Confederacy in the 19th century — opposed the measure.
Juneteenth has been a day of celebration in the Black community for decades.
From PBS:
The term Juneteenth is a blend of the words June and nineteenth. The holiday has also been called Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day.
Often celebrated at first with church picnics and speeches, the holiday spread across the nation and internationally as Black Texans moved elsewhere.
The vast majority of states recognize Juneteenth as a holiday or a day of recognition, like Flag Day, and most states hold celebrations. Juneteenth is a paid holiday for state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia and Washington, and hundreds of companies give workers a day off for Juneteenth.
However, last week, far-right (and far-white) activist Charlie Kirk declared that Juneteenth is “pagan garbage” meant to “subvert July 4.”
Factoid: Opal Lee, who fought for years for Juneteenth to be recognized as a federal holiday, is from my home town of Fort Worth, Texas.
Here’s to the work that still has to be done so that everyone is truly free in EVERY way, starting with the Voting Rights Act.
On Juneteenth, we remember that America is a promise –– a promise of freedom, liberty, and justice. The story of Juneteenth, as we celebrate it, is the story of our ongoing fight to realize that promise: not for some, but for all.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) June 19, 2023
#Juneteenth celebrates freedom over slavery and evil. It calls us to our patriotic duty to demand justice and build the equitable America to which ALL are entitled.
We will fight for civil rights and voting rights until we achieve One Person One Vote and justice for all. -NP pic.twitter.com/0h0FhPZGPl
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) June 19, 2023
#Juneteenth is a celebration of the Black American experience and history and the emancipation of enslaved Americans. pic.twitter.com/HbKV8mveCQ
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) June 19, 2023
On this day in 1865, enslaved people in Texas were notified by Union Civil War soldiers about the abolition of slavery. This was 2.5 years after the final Emancipation Proclamation which freed all enslaved Black Americans. #Juneteenth
But Slavery continued…
A THREAD pic.twitter.com/1CK9k9ZA42
— AFRICAN & BLACK HISTORY (@AfricanArchives) June 19, 2023
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans! As we celebrate this momentous time in history, here are a few facts about the holiday you may or may not have known! pic.twitter.com/2B06VM8n8Z
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) June 19, 2023