The Push to Designate Juneteenth a Federal Holiday

In this new season where Americans are eager to change longstanding policies considered impediments to equality, several major companies have announced that Juneteenth will become a permanent holiday on their corporate calendar. The National Football League, Twitter, Target, and Nike are declaring the African American cultural celebration recognizing the end of slavery as a paid company holiday which this year is Friday, June 19.

Dr. Peniel Joseph, Founding Director for the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the University of Texas, has called for the designation of Juneteenth as a national holiday.

In an article for CNN, Joseph wrote, “Commemorating Juneteenth as a national holiday would serve as an important reminder, no matter which political party occupied the White House or their political rhetoric, that racial slavery and the black Americans who helped end this system of bondage have been imprinted on the soul of this nation.”

The founder of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, Rev. Donald V. Myers, Sr. stated, “Together we will see Juneteenth become a national day of observance in America.”

Currently, Juneteenth is a holiday in 46 states and the District of Columbia.

Pushback in Tulsa

Many Americans learned more about the historic date when President Donald Trump incurred the wrath of critics outraged by his decision to hold a rally on Juneteenth in Tulsa, Oklahoma which was the site of one of the nation’s deadliest racial massacres known as the ‘Black Wall Street’ Riots. Trump later rescheduled the campaign rally for the following day.

“It was very disgusting to me,” said Rev. Robert Turner, Pastor of the Historic Vernon AME Church which was the only church not burned during the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921.

Media outlets from around the world have interviewed Turner. The BBC and CBS’ ’60 Minutes’ included him in their reports, and he addressed the President’s impending visit during his message to parishioners last Sunday.

Turner said, “I cannot tell you the number of people who have reached out to support, but for every angel God sends the enemy also sends a demon to corrupt.”

The Tulsa World newspaper joined the city’s public health officials and requested the President not visit. The paper’s editorial board wrote, “We don’t know why he chose Tulsa, but we can’t see any way that his visit will be good for the city.” Earlier this evening a judge blocked an effort by business owners and concerned citizens in Tulsa to keep the President from having the rally.

The President’s campaign claims one million of his supporters want tickets to Saturday’s rally at the BOK Center which reportedly holds 19,000. Republican campaign staffers have included a pandemic waiver in their ramp-up to Trump’s first rally since the social distancing policies necessitated by the coronavirus went into effect.

Tulsa’s public health director, Bruce Dart, told the World he was “concerned about our ability to protect anyone who attends a large, indoor event, and I’m also concerned about our ability to ensure the president stays safe as well. I wish we could postpone this to a time then virus isn’t as large a concern as it is today.”

Virtual Celebrations

Because of the pandemic, Juneteenth celebrations are largely being held online. The Mosaic Cultural Center in Little Rock will host its annual event online June 20 featuring The Clark Sisters. In Texas, where the Juneteenth festivities originated in 1866, several organizations have planned virtual celebrations. And, social justice advocates have designated this year’s holiday as an opportunity to use social media in a push for mobilization around persistent efforts to promote racial equality.

Image Credits: Juneteenth Atlanta.