Okay, I know about the Emancipation Proclamation.
So why is Juneteenth a “new” thing?
Here’s the what-why- and when, delivered in a nugget.
In the shape of… my blog!
About 157 years ago, on June 19, 1865, about 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas. They announced that the roughly 250,000 enslaved black people were thereby FREE by executive decree.
Free!!!!
Can. You. Even. Imagine.
I cannot.
A massive step toward equality.
(Still far, far away, but a massive step.)
So why didn’t we celebrate this, like ALWAYS?
In 2021, on June 17th, President Biden signed into law that it was a FEDERAL HOLIDAY! Yes!!
Because of practical, day-of-the-week issues, it’s been titled “Juneteenth” so that (like Memorial Day or Labor Day) it falls on a day that we can—as a nation—celebrate!
So, if it falls on a Sunday, like this year, the “Juneteenth” holiday falls on the following Monday!
It’s the newest federal holiday!
And there aren’t many!
But how cool is that? A federal holiday to commemorate the end of a dark era.
How will YOU celebrate?
We need Juneteenth traditions!
I want ideas!!!
Long overdue, but so thankful it’s a Thing.
A federal holiday.
Let me know in the (always private) comments how you think we should celebrate such an incredible day!
And Happy Juneteenth!!
I’m excited for that to become as mainstream as the Fourth of July!
Celebrating all of us, equally and together, and the sacrifices that were made.
