Juneteenth Celebrations

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” -  Martin Luther King Jr.

Recently, we have seen an upsurge in racial confrontations in the United States of America. Minority groups led primarily by African Americans have been lending their voices to demonstrations all across the United States of America. The call for justice has become louder in recent days as advocacy groups continue their march for justice on behalf of those black men and women who have been shot and killed by white police officers. This Black Lives Matter movement has taken on an international flair as thousands of people in almost every country have taken to the streets with banners such as I Can’t Breathe to highlight the injustices being meted out to blacks. The demonstrations have become a nightly activity as organizers are adamant that changes must be had to dismantle the systemic and entrenched layers of racism which are seen in law enforcement, criminal justice system, public housing, education, among other services provided by the State. Demonstrations have also been held in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, and Germany to name a few countries. The demonstrations have been sparked by the murder of African American George Floyd who was held in a chokehold by white police officers in Minneapolis for almost 9 minutes until he uttered his final words, “I Can’t Breathe” before he died. The police officers involved have been fired and are now facing criminal charges for his death.  Subsequently, there has been a global attack on statues which are rooted in slavery and racism; many of these statues including those of King Leopold 2 of Belgium and Christopher Columbus have been removed from public spaces. These statues serve as a painful reminder to the cruel treatment of a once enslaved people. The removal is cathartic for many in the Black race.  Additionally, the Confederate flag will no longer be allowed at NASCAR meets. In a release NASCAR said they will ban Confederate flags from all events and properties in a substantial move for a sport steeped in Southern history and at times plagued by racism. It appears that a collective consciousness have taken root in a significant number of people. Disturbingly, there is also a counter revolution as white supremacist groups have been on the increase and are not afraid to display themselves publicly. It is against this background that this year’s Juneteenth celebrations will be more meaningful to the African American community and to those who support inclusiveness and racial equality.  

What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth, a blend of the words June and nineteenth, honors the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth celebrations have taken on a special significance. Juneteenth takes place on June 19th every year and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Specifically, it commemorates the day (June 19th, 1865) that Union soldiers finally made it to Galveston, Texas to tell enslaved people that the war was over and they were now free. It does not commemorate Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official U.S. law on January 1st, 1863, but was not fully implemented to all until the order was read to enslaved people all the way in Texas two and a half years later. Many plantation owners held enslaved people captive long after the proclamation, or intentionally fled westward to avoid approaching Union forces who would inform them of their free status. Juneteenth was first celebrated in 1866, with Texans memorializing the momentous occasion as a day of celebration and community. Since then, it’s come to be recognized as a holiday or official observance in 46 states and Washington, D.C., Forbes reported. A number of big name companies including Nike, Ford Motor, General Motors, Best Buy, JP Morgan, JC Penny, Google, MasterCard, Twitter, Uber are giving their employees this paid holiday. Georgetown University has also announced that they will be recognizing Juneteenth and giving their employees this paid holiday. The governor of New York Cuomo has also announced he intends to make Juneteenth a State holiday. Although Juneteenth is not yet a federal holiday, these companies are taking it upon themselves to give their employees a paid day off on June 19.  On this Juneteenth let us remember the sacrifices of those who went before us  and made it so that we can be free. We need to protect our freedom at all cost.
In the words of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
#Juneteenth #racism #slavery #racialequality #GeorgeFloyd #BlackLivesMatter #Jamaica
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