Juneteenth is a Federal Holiday Now. So, Now What?

A mixture of emotions

is the best way to describe my reaction regarding the news of Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday.

My first thought was, “bout time!” We deserve this.

But, at the same time, this is nothing.

This doesn’t pay reparations for our people. This does nothing to liberate us from the systemic racism that is a direct result of slavery and white supremacy. All this does is give us a day off to celebrate something we have been celebrating for years, and potentially gives white people another excuse to believe that the work is done.

The work is not done.

Juneteenth has the potential to be an abused holiday. Businesses will take advantage of the holiday to create a sale and drive profits that just continue to put white wealth at the top. Many will continue to ignore the significance of what this holiday really means. Many white people have expressed anger toward the Black community for us getting “another holiday” and “another handout.” Schools will educate students with the white-washed version of this holiday (if they even educate about this holiday at all) that will lead kids to believe that this is a kumbaya moment and everyone is living happily ever after.

We know this is not the case.

Yes, Juneteenth is a celebration but it is so much more than that. My hope is that you will read this article and take action toward a truly meaningful observance of this holiday and commit to a lifetime of divesting from whiteness, dismantling white supremacy, and fighting for the liberation of Black Americans and all BIPOC.

What This Really Means:

- Juneteenth recognizes the day that enslaved Africans in Galveston, TX received the news that they had been free for over 2 years. Let that sink in. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on Jan 1, 1863. News of freedom reached TX on June 19, 1865. This was on purpose.

- Juneteenth is not just a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. That sounds flowery as if white and Black people held hands and skipped off in the fields together happily ever after. It completely ignores the centuries of brutality, the rebellious fight that enslaved Africans fought for freedom through their blood, sweat, tears, and lashes from the whippings from their white masters.

- Making Juneteenth a federal holiday is the easy part for politicians. However, this does not do anything for the liberation of Black people who are still living under the weight of systemic racism.

Note: This will not stop us from celebrating the legacy of the fight of our people.

YES, THIS A CELEBRATION, BUT…

- It is not a celebration for you if you are not actively anti-racist, doing the work to dismantle white supremacy, and divesting from whiteness daily.

- It is, more importantly, a time of reflection and taking action toward the liberation of Black people. WE STILL AREN'T FREE.

- This does not mean the work is over. We still can't get the Emmitt Till Anti-Lynching Bill passed. We still haven't received reparations from the overwhelming damage slavery has done. AMERICA IS STILL RACIST. If you do not affirm this, Juneteenth is not for you.

Observing Juneteenth:

FOR PARENTS-

- Use this time to teach your children the REAL HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. Do not use the verbiage from Google. It's white-washed. Find resources from Black creators.

- Use this time to invest in Black-owned businesses with your kids; especially Black-owned shops that sell diverse items for children.

- If your area is having a public Juneteenth celebration, GO! A big way to break racist stereotypes in your family is to expose your children to Black joy.

FOR BRANDS/BIZ OWNERS/INFLUENCERS:

- Don't be performative, but if you're committed to anti-racism in your brand, silence is not an option. Verbally show and tell your community your commitment to anti-racism.

- Do not use this time to drive your own sales/likes/exposure. Use this time to drive your audience toward Black creators/businesses and amplify their voices. (Your biz will be okay for one day if you don't center yourself. Promise.)

- Take the proceeds from any sales you happen to make on Juneteenth and donate them to organizations that are fighting for the liberation of Black Americans. Show your receipts.

- A Juneteenth sale is inappropriate if you're not Black unless you are taking 100% of the proceeds from that sale and investing them into Black-owned businesses or organizations that support the liberation of Black people. If you are not a Black-owned business and you have a sale for Juneteenth just to take advantage of the holiday and drive profits to yourself, you have completely missed the point and disrespected the meaning of the holiday.

FOR EVERYONE:

- Invest in Black-owned businesses, pay Black creators, send your Black friends and family some cash. Personal reparations matter just as much as government reparations or business-to-business reparations. (This goes for fellow Black people as well. We must circulate our dollars.)

- Sign petitions that fight for the liberation of Black people, the passing of anti-lynching legislation, the abolition of the current policing system, and more.

- Donate to organizations that lift up the Black community. Find a cause you care about (ex: mental health) and donate to a Black organization that also supports that cause.

- Listen to podcasts and read books about the real meaning/history of Juneteenth and where our country is now.

Juneteenth is not an excuse for a day off. We must make sure to honor its true legacy and use that legacy to continue fighting for freedom.

- Caroline J Sumlin