Juneteenth = June 19th

The Fourth of July—July 4th—may be American Independence Day. It is the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Today it is a day for celebration with flags, baseball, picnics, parties, and watermelon. But there is another important day: Black Independence Day, June 19th. It was celebrated by Black Americans after the Civil War (1861-1865). On June 19, 1865, two months after the Civil War ended, enslaved Black people in Texas found out—for the first time—that they were free. Until then, they thought they were still slaves.

June 19th, known as “Juneteenth,” became a federal holiday in the United States in 2021. This was after police killed a number of Black people, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. George Floyd was murdered by a policeman in Minneapolis who was recorded on a smartphone keeping his knee on Floyd’s throat for no legitimate reason. Police forced their way into the home of Breonna Taylor and shot a completely innocent Black woman.

Most Americans celebrate “independence” and claim that people of all races are treated equally. Some oppose the idea of “affirmative action.” Some believe that people of all races have equal chances to gain a good education, have a comfortable place to live, and become successful, regardless of the color of their skin.

But while one group of people celebrate Juneteenth, every American needs to commit to giving real equality to each and every citizen. And especially to those who were denied equality from 1619 to 1865.

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