Juneteenth was first celebrated in 1866 -- one year after the last enslaved Americans were freed in Galveston, Texas. Even as Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed all enslaved African-Americans two years before, it took Union troops marching into Texas to actually, finally end those two centuries of American slavery.
Juneteenth is about celebrating freedom, but it’s also about remembering that words alone do not create change. Words must be coupled with action. From the sit-ins and demonstrations in the South of the 1950s and 1960s, to the protests and marches that have captured the nation's attention today, we are reminded that people will continue to speak out in the face of injustice and demand real actions from their leaders to address the systemic inequalities that still pervade our society.
Today is a day to understand the past -- and how it lingers in our present. It's a day to recommit to being allies for the cause of racial equality, and listen to those whose experiences we may understand, but never truly feel.
I will never know what it is like to live with the legacy of slavery. But I can do my part to elevate the voices of those who do -- and support them as they lead the way. And I will continue to learn, as there is always more knowledge to be had.
As we continue to support the activists and everyday people who are on the frontlines peacefully advocating for racial justice, I want to again suggest supporting several organizations that are doing incredible work: the Equal Justice Initiative, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The fight for equality is far from done, but I have faith in my heart that we are moving in the right direction.
Onward,
Hiral
