Dr. Eugene L. Moore
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom for enslaved people in Texas. This marks the third year it has been observed as a federal holiday but it has been celebrated for more than a century prior to its national recognition. Some argue that it’s national prominence came in response to the murder of George Floyd which occurred on May 25, 2020. However, activist Opal Lee spearheaded efforts in Fort Worth, Texas in 2016 by walking 2.5 miles a day to Washington, D.C. to make Juneteenth an official federal holiday.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines freedom as “ the condition or right of being able or allowed to do, say, think, etc. whatever you want to, without being controlled or limited.” In a political climate that engages in heated debates about textbooks in classrooms, gender-neutral restrooms, and misogyny in boardrooms, we can rightfully challenge the notions of freedom. Juneteenth should not be confined to the physical restraints of chains but to the systemic measures taken to ensure African Americans still feel like an oppressed group.
As educators, we have access to the full historical narrative and are aware of the startling statistics like that African Americans only make up 13 percent of the general population yet comprise 38 percent of the prison population. Famed legal scholar Michelle Alexander in her book the New Jim Crow details these disparities. We cannot be blinded by ethnic holidays and observances. We are African American 365 days of the year and as the late Dr. King stated that “until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream,” our fight for true freedom continues.
So today we celebrate but we are not disillusioned by our historical victories. Yes we can sit at the counter and we can even own the restaurant but the barriers that exist are still present. We must focus on our humanity and not lose sight of the goal. Freedom occurs when the physical shackles are removed, the mind is free from inferiority, and the system removes its inherently oppressive restraints.
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