Weekend of celebrations
Admittedly, until last year, I didn’t know much about Juneteenth, when horrific events brought to surface some present-day challenges of disparities against African-Americans. The gravity of the events, weeks before Juneteenth spurred me to read up on this part of American history that, on one hand, seemed to have many narrations, and on the other, an almost unified viewpoint of its significance to so many Americans. Having lived in the United States for nearly 2 decades, it was unacceptable to me how little I knew about the day despite the seeming absence of connection with me or my ancestors. (Keyword being ‘seeming’. There is a connection, an undeniable one). Having recently moved to Texas, I was also intrigued to know the special significance between Texas and the Juneteenth holiday. So now, with the jubilant news from June 17, 2021 when it officially became a federal holiday, I wanted to jot down some of my perspectives.
First, some facts I found along the way. This is a very brief summary and by no means a complete representation so I highly encourage more reading on the topic and sharing other eye-opening facts I missed.
FACTS:
· This, most of us know, that on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, the US House of Representatives backed the legislation by a 415–14 vote, a day after it was unanimously approved by the Senate. With the signature of President Biden, it has become law.
· When he was senator of Illinois, Barack Obama co-sponsored legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday, but the law was never passed — even after he became President. And probably fitting, that his Vice President, now, President Biden received the honor of making this happen. Already 49 states and Washington DC formally recognize Juneteenth as a state or ceremonial holiday. South Dakota is the last remaining state.
· On 19 June 1865 — months after the northern US states defeated the South in a civil war fought over slavery — enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free. The day became known as Juneteenth, a word created by joining the words “June” and “nineteenth” together.
· The liberation of enslaved people in Texas came more than two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, an Executive Order, declaring all enslaved people in the rebellious states to be free. It outlawed slavery in Confederate states beginning Jan. 1, 1863, the midpoint of the Civil War and it was in June 1965 when slaves in Texas learned that they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. Hence, the holiday has several other names that are used interchangeably, including Freedom Day and Emancipation Day.
· The Emancipation Proclamation only really took effect in a Confederate state once the Union Army was there to enforce it. Otherwise, slave owners and the area governments were free to ignore it. Texas, being the Confederate state both most western and remote, was the last to receive the Union liberators.
· While it was the last to receive the Union liberators, Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a State Holiday 40 years ago, in 1980.
· Juneteenth Flag is a symbolic representation of many aspects. For example; the flag’s colors, red, white and blue, were chosen by Haith to demonstrate that even throughout enslavement, African Americans were always American. The design of the flag is just as symbolic.
· Another fascinating detail about the flag is that it is emblazoned with a star; a callback to the U.S. flag demonstrating African-Americans are free in all 50 states and a nod to Texas, The Lone Star State.
· Juneteenth celebrations and traditions vary across the US. In some states there are parades, and people gather for food and to play games. Public readings, singing, picnics and church services, in some States, rodeos, contests and concerts are also organized.
It is not an attempt to stir a political discussion or any negativity. Below is a sincere attempt to document some of my reflections on the topic as I’m raising a very bright and curious 5-year-old, who will soon want to, and be required to, know about this aspect of our nation’s history, and I better be prepared!
PERSPECTIVES:
· Being of Indian origin and given the fact that in 1865, India was heavily under the British rule, I could potentially safely assume that my ancestors were not just uninvolved, but also probably unaware of the Civil War situation with the United States at the time. However, the fact that even one human being did this to another human being, making them a slave and owning their freedom makes me accountable. That’s the undeniable connection I was referring to, earlier. By virtue of being a human being, I am accountable for the atrocity and accountable for becoming an ally to the cause of absolute equality for all human beings in our country.
· I understand that one of the raging cultural discussions/debates regarding present-day news cycles is how the history of slavery is proposed to being represented in American schools. The fact that there is significant effort being invested to re-tell that story could be viewed as the extent of shame and guilt those events bring to people and that the gravity of the mistake is being experienced. I know it is a simplistic (probably naïve) and forgiving perspective, but it is one way to look at it, isn’t it?
· The fact that regardless of what is represented, and how it is or how it is not, represented in history books empowers our position as parents, friends and family members and hence, ‘the first educators’ in the life of our newer generation to narrate and own what we believe and know to be the truth. It is first our job to teach them to look back in history in reverence of the human struggles, and also celebrate the present. And it is just as important to challenge them to look forward and imagine a more inclusive and equitable world for us all.
· There is a popular saying in India; Der Aaye, Durust Aaye; it welcomes a desirable outcome, or a perfect outcome, especially one after a long struggle or endeavor to achieve it. In lines with ‘Better late than never’ saying in English. Sure, it took a while to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday, but the last time a new federal holiday was recognized was Luther King Jr. Day, established in 1983.
I like what Dr. Barbara Krauthamer, Ph.D., historian and Dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, says about the holiday. “Juneteenth gives people an opportunity to reflect on what it means to live in a country and in communities that say we value individual rights, we value freedom, we value freedom of the press and freedom of speech. And if we value that, we need to value that for everybody.” I’m a firm believer that we learn more from our failures than from success. After learning about this piece of history, I am encouraged to be an ally in any way I can, so we can foster a culture of equality and belonging for all. This, I write from Corpus Christi where I’m spending the weekend with family; a happy coincidence of destination choice, not too far from Galveston where we trace the origin of this beautiful celebration.
