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From Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray:
Happy #Juneteenth! The oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
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Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865 – the day Union soldiers brought the news to Galveston, Texas that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were free. This Emancipation Day came more than two months after the war ended and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863. It was not until the arrival of these Union soldiers that there were sufficient forces to enforce the Proclamation in Texas.
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Emancipation in many border states took even longer. It was not until December 6, 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment that slavery was finally abolished across the U.S.
This is a powerful reminder of the determination of many states to protect the institution of slavery despite the law, and it echoes today in the clear attack on voting rights aimed specifically at disenfranchising Black voters and voters of color – yet another manifestation of the persistence of white supremacy and systemic racism in this country.
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One of the reasons that Juneteenth has not been more well known, particularly among white Americans, is because textbooks and classroom education cover little of Black history and have taught, since the early twentieth century, that the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery.
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Today, we continue to witness predominantly white leaders seeking to silence the teaching of Black history and the history of race and racism in this country. To ignore history is to deny the reality that Black History is American History. A critical understanding of racism and white supremacy is necessary for our nation to live up to its promise.
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Juneteenth is a celebration of American history in its fullness. It is a moment to center Black joy and liberation and it is also a painful reminder of America’s legacy of slavery and of justice delayed for Black Americans. Honoring this day requires more than a federal holiday. It requires a continued national reckoning on racial justice and equity. It demands honesty in education and unequivocal support for the movement to secure voting rights and democracy, and to affirm that #BlackLivesMatter.
How are you celebrating Juneteenth this year?