Following the death of George Floyd in May 2020, protests and violent riots took place across the country, once again revealing deep racial divisions.
National dialogue centers on systemic racism, critical race theory, and whether Confederate monuments should remain fixed in public places. These debates have often put passions ahead of reason. Still, there are actions worthy of reaffirming the freedoms available for all. One such move is recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
Texas recognizes Juneteenth as a state holiday and has for over 40 years. In recent years, more states have declared it a holiday, with Illinois being the latest. On Tuesday, the United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution to make it a federal holiday. On Wednesday, the House passed that bill. Joe Biden then signed it into law.
Despite the Emancipation Proclamation, many black people still lived as slaves nearly three years later. On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas, announced that all slaves in the state were free in accordance with Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation.
It’s possible that members of Congress or the average person have good faith reasons for opposing a federal Juneteenth holiday, while others might operate from an irrational fear of having the conversation. Good faith discussions about race and equal treatment have a place. In contrast, critical race theory and other ideas that don’t allow for rational debate do nothing to move the country forward. Still, there should be no opposition to the Juneteenth holiday out of concern for a possible connection to CRT or other radical agendas. Commemorating the end of slavery doesn’t have to mean acceptance of extremism in any form. Juneteenth and the meaning behind the day are not new, but it is safe to say that many people are not aware of the day and what it represents.
Embracing Juneteenth and what it means to black people is a move that does not require an assignment or application of guilt. And unlike the idea of reparations, it is not a present-day attempt to right past wrongs. It is simply an observance marking the end of slavery. It is an issue that shouldn’t generate controversy.
America is a flawed nation, and history bears that out. Those past and present wrongs do not mean the country is inherently racist. Rejecting such a radical assertion requires a sober, balanced realization of history, both good and bad. If we must concede the bad, then why not celebrate the good?
The end to slavery wasn’t the end of the American experiment. Thankfully, it signified a new chapter, one in which the values of our founding were made fully evident. That is worth celebrating.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
