Juneteenth 2021
Especially after the past year of protesting, donating and talking about race and racism in America, we are all just too grateful to have a government that values the significance of the day — even if a whole lot more can still be done.
Juneteenth (also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Emancipation Day) is a day to honor and celebrate liberation. It was 156 years ago on June 19, 1865 that all Americans became free from slavery (despite the Emancipation Proclamation occurring two years prior).
Today, the holiday is about celebrating Black culture, history and life. Bringing people together to honor all those who came before us and fought for the rights and privileges we hold today.
Poet and scholar Elizabeth Alexander writes in National Geographic’s June issue that for the U.S. to untangle itself from its legacy of white supremacism, we must embrace our full history.
“Without learning, without knowledge, without the voices and the experiences and the insights gained from a determined excavation of our country’s past, we will never eradicate racism and racial violence,” writes Alexander.
“If we are to stop weaving white supremacism into the fabric of our country, then we must learn our full histories. We must live like we understand what that history teaches us.”
Juneteeth gives us the opportunity to support, appreciate and educate through a host of activities. So, whether you’re hosting a barbecue or buying from Black-owned businesses, be sure to celebrate Juneteenth this year — as loudly and boldly as we can!
Originally published at http://diywellbeing.blogspot.com.
