JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Land of the free is one of the founding principles of the United States. When the Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1776, Americans rejoiced at the document liberating them from tyranny, but it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that all Americans were free.
Despite being such a meaningful day to millions of Americans, Juneteenth is not recognized as a federal holiday. I myself wasn’t truly aware of the magnitude and importance of Juneteenth until my sophomore year of college simply due to the fact it was not taught in grade school.
Enslaved Americans didn’t receive the same rights and protections as free Americans. It wasn’t until Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that slaves were freed. It took over two years for news of the liberation to reach every enslaved person in the United States. June 19, 1865, a day referred to as Juneteenth, 250,000 slaves were liberated in Texas, officially ending slavery across the nation.
On Juneteenth, African-Americans celebrate a day honoring those who endured hardships that many of us can’t even imagine. African-Americans fought in the American Revolution only to be enslaved after the promise of freedom and equality was denied to them. The Tuskegee Airmen who fought in World War II came home to a segregated nation. African-Americans who fought in Vietnam came home to harsh Jim Crow laws, persevering through cruelties inflicted upon an entire race for no other reason but their skin color. Through this all, African-Americans have survived.
“This day should be commemorated with nothing but jubilee and remembrance,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Latetia Bland, 633rd Air Base Wing Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Coordinator deputy. “We should remember the resilience of generations of our ancestors who endured the horrors of chattel slavery, fight that many held for freedom and those pioneers that paved the way for us to pick up and follow today.”
Traditionally, celebrations included what was referred to as the “scatter,” where former slaves went out and searched for displaced family members. Once reunited, they would discard their slave rags in rivers and put on clothing similar to their former masters’. In their new dress, they would eat and dance as free people.
The narrative is changing as more and more people are being educated on the importance of this day. In fact, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam introduced legislation to make Juneteenth a holiday in the commonwealth.
Hampton Roads has extensive history with regards to Juneteenth. Escaped slaves would flee to Fort Monroe to find safe haven during the Civil War. Hampton University’s Emancipation Oak was even the site of the first public reading in the South of the Emancipation Proclamation.
According to the Hampton City Council, June 19 is being designated as a holiday so that everyone can collectively commemorate the importance of the area’s history.
Juneteenth is a day for celebration and education. Take some time and reflect upon those who struggled in obtaining the same rights and protections under the law as their citizen counterparts.
Visit www.juneteenth.com for more information on Juneteenth history.