Before President Biden signed a bill in 2021 that made June 19 a federal holiday, Juneteenth was celebrated by African American communities beginning in 1865. However, in the last three years, those celebrations have become more widespread, as people become more informed about Juneteenth and what it symbolizes. Juneteenth is also called Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day or Emancipation.
Juneteenth was first celebrated in Galveston, Texas. Texas was under Confederate control when the Civil War ended. On June 19, 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the Civil War ended, two thousand Union soldiers arrived in Galveston. The lives of 250,000 enslaved people were radically changed forever by the news that the war had ended, and slavery was abolished. The date of that life-changing message became known as Juneteenth, which combines the month and day of the pronouncement of freedom.
The ways of celebrating Juneteenth are as diverse as the individuals, families, and communities recognizing its significance. For some it is a time of rest, reflection, and remembrance. For others, it’s a forward-looking occasion to applaud Black excellence and creativity. Church services, festivals, parades and university-hosted panel discussions are just a few of the forms of those celebrations. For the last few years, a Juneteenth gala has taken place in Washington D.C. This year’s gala will jointly spotlight Juneteenth and the 75th birthday of gospel legend Richard Smallwood, with the National Symphony Orchestra and guests performing at The Kennedy Center.
One of the places to learn more about Juneteenth is the National Museum of African American History and Culture, one of the 21 museums and galleries that make up the Smithsonian Institute. One of its website’s features is a searchable museum where you can virtually explore various facets of Black history through stories and photos. It also offers a Juneteenth digital toolkit.
Although employers are not mandated to offer federal holidays as paid holidays to their employees, Juneteenth is one of Northeast Delta’s core paid holidays. It’s one of the many ways that we show all our employee colleagues that they are recognized, valued, and appreciated. We couldn’t credibly talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion out in our communities, and invite others to partner with our initiatives to make oral health care more accessible to everyone, if we didn’t live those values within our own organization among our employee colleagues and board members. Speaking of living our values, as I said in my last post, that is the theme of our 2023 annual report, and we invite you to download a copy if you haven’t seen it already.
We can together acknowledge the significance of the Juneteenth holiday by celebrating freedom, honoring Black history and continuing the journey toward equality for all.
