Juneteenth Becomes a Federal Holiday
On Thursday, June 17th, President Joseph Biden signed a bill into law making Juneteenth an official federal holiday. Juneteenth takes place every year on June 19th. Next year Juneteenth falls on a Sunday, so the first paid holiday will come in 2023. Illinois government facilities will be closed on Friday, June 18th to recognize the holiday. This year both the courts and markets are open. However, in the future, courts and markets will be closed on Juneteenth.
What is Juneteenth?
Firstly, Juneteenth is celebrated to recognize the freedom of enslaved people at the end of the United States Civil War. Many in our country think of Juneteenth as our second Independence Day. Therefore, it is certainly a day worth celebrating. In addition, for over 150 years this day has been recognized by the African American community. No matter your race, the day is meant to recognize and reflect on the past and learn from it.
History of Juneteenth
Again, Juneteenth has been celebrated for many years, but there is still confusion around the holiday. For example, many people think that Juneteenth is the same day as Emancipation Day which takes place on April 16th. However, the two are not the same and through activism, Juneteenth has gained momentum and familiarity in recent years. Emancipation Day was the day when President Lincoln freed roughly 3,000 slaves in Washington D.C. On the other hand, Juneteenth was first recognized in the state of Texas in 1980. It was not until 2 years after the emancipation proclamation (1863) was signed, that slaves in Texas knew they were free.
Gordon Granger
To begin, Gordon Granger is the man responsible for informing slaves in Texas of their freedom. On June 19th, 1865, Granger proclaimed “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.” -nationalgeographic.com
Juneteenth Today
Once again, through activism, the world is getting more familiar with Juneteenth and why it is celebrated. Long ago, African American communities would be forced to celebrate this holiday secretly. For example, people would have to gather on the outskirts of towns and neighborhoods to even celebrate it. However, the good news is that this is going away. In conclusion, times are changing and though it may have taken too long, Juneteenth, from this day forward will be celebrated nationally every 19th day in June.
Source:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/juneteenth
