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President Biden signs the measure making Juneteenth a federal holiday alongside Vice President Harris, members of Congress and activist Opal Lee.
Parties unite on Juneteenth vote, but can bipartisanship last?
Even as our political discourse remains mired in partisan sniping and the parties fail to collaborate on major policy initiatives, Republican and Democratic officials came together in near unanimity this week to make Juneteenth the newest federal holiday.
The measure moved swiftly through Congress, facing zero opposition in the Senate and only minimal resistance in the House. President Biden signed the bill into law on Thursday, just two days before Juneteenth (a portmanteau of June 19).
While the end of chattel slavery in the United States will now be officially commemorated, civil rights advocates emphasize there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, particularly on voting rights. Advocates say the wave of restrictive voting laws being enacted in GOP-led states is especially harmful to voters of color.
Biden noted that he was pleased with the overwhelming bipartisan support the bill garnered from Congress. "I hope this is the beginning of a change in the way we deal with one another," he said.
But the president also underscored that this progress will be for naught so long as "the sacred right to vote remains under attack."
"We see this assault from restrictive laws, threats of intimidation, voter purges and more. An assault that offends our very democracy. We can't rest until the promise of equality is fulfilled for every one of us in every corner of this nation," Biden said.
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Juneteenth is the 11th federal holiday, and the first added since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was approved in 1983. Also known as Freedom Day, it recognizes the events of June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news to Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War was over and enslaved Black people were now free — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. It would be another six months before the 13th Amendment was ratified, abolishing slavery except as punishment for a crime.
Activists have fought for decades to make Juneteenth an official holiday. One of the most prominent leaders of this campaign is Opal Lee, a 94-year-old activist known to many as the "grandmother of Juneteenth." In 2016, Lee started leading walks to raise awareness about Juneteenth and gain support for making it an official holiday. She was in attendance, along with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, when Biden signed the bill Thursday.
"While we rightfully celebrate this momentous moment today, the Congressional Black Caucus recognizes that the work to build a brighter tomorrow for Black Americans is far from over," said Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who leads the Congressional Black Caucus.
During the bill signing ceremony Vice President Kamala Harris — who is the first woman, Asian American and Black person to hold the office — spoke of the importance of remembering history and using it to build a better future.
"We are gathered here in a house built by enslaved people. We are footsteps away from where President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. And we are here to witness President Joe Biden establish Juneteenth as a national holiday," Harris said. "We have come far and we have far to go, but today is a day of celebration."
Starting this Juneteenth, a coalition of civil and voting rights advocacy groups, led by Black Voters Matter, is embarking on a Freedom Ride for Voting Rights. The bus tour will start in Jacksonville, Miss., and travel through several Southern states before ending in Washington, D.C., on June 26. The goal is to raise awareness about restrictive voting measures and rally support for federal legislation like the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
"With state legislatures actively working to undermine our rights and strip us of our most basic freedoms, the parallels to Juneteenth are uncanny," said Cliff Albright and LaTosha Brown, co-founders of Black Voters Matter. "We are launching this Freedom Ride for Voting Rights on Juneteenth alongside local and national partners to show voters, communities, and elected officials of how far we've come and remind them what Black power can do."
'Juneteenth calls each of us into action'
As we celebrate Juneteenth, Rev. Dr. F. Willis Johnson Jr., vice president of partnerships and programming for the Bridge Alliance, shares his thoughts on our nation's newest federal holiday in "Reflections on Juneteenth."
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When you are looking to honor Juneteenth or find other ways to engage this summer, Civic Season has something to offer.
Gen Z's ultimate Civic Season bucket list
Katz, a recent graduate of Emory University, is an intern at Made by Us, a coalition of historians working to shape the nation's future.
There's a lot for Americans to think about this summer, as we enter a new, post-pandemic chapter: the challenges we still face, how we can reconcile with our complex past, the ways in which we might move forward as a nation and what it means to be American.
A new summer tradition has emerged to help us all navigate these questions, together: the Civic Season, running June 14 to July 5. The Civic Season connects people nationwide with over 450 opportunities to engage with history, flex their civic muscles and shape this tradition going forward. Whether you have 10 minutes or two hours, are interested in Juneteenth or citizenship or just making your voice heard, the Civic Season has something for you.
So where's the best place to start? Consider me your Civic Season guide. As a recent college graduate and a self-proclaimed history buff, I've picked my top 10 programs happening across the country that can help you understand the past and shape the future. As you complete each one, be sure to check off your Civic Season bingo card. Share your experience on social media using the hashtag #CivicSeason and become a part of this new movement that will grow for years to come!
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1. #BLKFREEDOM: "Juneteenth"
With events from 10 Black history museums, including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the National Underground Railway Freedom Center and the National Civil Rights Museum, the celebration of Juneteenth features dancing, acting, museum tours and spoken word.
2. Japanese American National Museum: "Stronger Together: Black Liberation and Asian Solidarity"
A collaboration between the University of Southern California Pacific Asia Museum, the Chinese American Museum and the Japanese American National Museum, "Stronger Together" features a panel of important activists and authors discussing the importance of intersectionality in the fight against racism.
3. New-York Historical Society: "Can You Pass the U.S. Citizenship Test?"
Do you think you know enough history to pass the U.S. Citizenship Test? The New-York Historical Society has compiled questions from the actual U.S. Citizenship Test to see what everyday Americans know. Whether you're a history expert or are looking to expand your knowledge, this quiz can show you what it takes to become an American citizen.
4. Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate: "A Seat at the Table"
Rep. Shirley Chislom was the first Black woman in Congress and the first woman to seek a major party's nomination for president. She once said, "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair." This exhibit from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute captures Chisholm's life as a political trailblazer and as an inspiration to Americans everywhere. To commemorate Chisholm bringing her own seat to the table, 20artists created chairs inspired by leaders, both past and present.
5. Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program: "What do you think every American should know?"
If you had to pick 10 historic moments that every American should know, what would they be? The Aspen Institute is gathering different ideas from Americans everywhere to see what terms, events and references should be familiar to all of us.
6. Atlanta History Center: "Confederate Monument Interpretation Guide"
The status of Confederate monuments has been a hot button issue for the past several years. The Atlanta History Center has compiled a guide for those wanting to learn more about the monuments and their context.
7. National Archives Foundation: "Records of Rights" Series
Who decides what "rights" we have in America — and who can claim them? From land sovereignty for Native American tribes to speaking out under the First Amendment, the "Records of Rights" online exhibition from the National Archives Foundation walks us through how these rights have been defined and redefined throughout history.
8. Sing Sing Prison Museum: "Justice Talks"
The Sing Sing Prison Museum, scheduled to open in 2025, will display a history of criminal justice so visitors will better understand social issues like incarceration, punishment and reformation. Join historians and activists for a series of racial justice talks about criminal justice, wrongful conviction and women in prison.
9. Museum of History and Industry: "The Unspoken Truths"
Near Seattle? Visit the Museum of History and Industry, where historian Delbert Richardson will be displaying "The Unspoken Truths" in honor of Juneteenth. Using innovative storytelling and artifacts, Richardson explores four eras of Black history through an Afrocentric lens.
10. News Literacy Project: "Test Your News Literacy"
Think you can spot an unreliable source? Download the Informable app and test your level of news literacy. The News Literacy Project has tons of resources available so you can make sure you're a responsible and informed consumer of news.
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