President Biden signed a law making June 19 or Juneteenth an official holiday. Here is everything you need to know about the newest US federal holiday. “Great nations don’t ignore their most painful moments. Great nations don’t walk away. We come to terms with the mistakes we made. And remembering those moments, we begin to heal and grow stronger,” said Biden. Kamal Harris took to Twitter with a straightforward message to pay homage.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth marks the end of slavery following the American Civil War. On June 19, 1895, it took place exactly two months after the end of the Civil war when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas. The Union’s Major issued an order to free all enslaved people in the US.
Additionally, then-president Abe Lincon issued an Emancipation Proclamation declaring that all persons held as slaves shall be free. However, even two years later, several slave owners continued to hold on to slavery by hiding the news from them.
The history of Juneteenth
It will be the newest federal holiday in four decades and get the same treatment as holidays such as Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Veterans Day. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was the last federal holiday to be created.
This week, a bill to establish Juneteenth National Independence day got bipartisan support in both houses. However, it needs to be approved by the White House before it is official. The legislation is a turning point towards a better future, especially after the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death. Floyd’s death sparked a movement of anti-racism protests not only across the US but, in several countries. It was a catalyst that brought a national reckoning on the sadist and systemic racism.
Unfortunately, last year the legislation was blocked by the Republicans. Rob Johnson, a Trump supported opposed by saying that another federal holiday would mean that the taxpayers will be footing the paid leaves for federal government employees.