JUNETEENTH 2022 WILL CELEBRATE FREEDOM
In case you missed it, the United States of America has something to celebrate. Juneteenth 2022 is going to be here soon, and the holiday is the perfect time to look at our past mistakes and embrace a better future through hope, goodness to our fellow human, healing, and jubilation. There have been regional celebrations involving Juneteenth National Independence Day, but now, national events, parties, and ceremonies are set to take place and celebrate the freedom of African Americans who were enslaved during a dark period in America’s complicated history. So, grab your friends and bust out the grill; here’s everything you need to know to get ready for Jubilee Day.
When Is Juneteenth 2022?
Juneteenth is held annually on June 19th. It marks the end of slavery for those in Texas who were still living under such conditions after the end of the Civil War. Though the holiday goes by many names, it is often referred to as Black Independence Day. In the same way Americans celebrate our freedom from Britain, African Americans celebrate their freedom from the harsh slave trade that still has lasting effects to this day. Related read:New Study Surfaces Detailing Racial Discrimination in the Military
Is Juneteenth a Federal Holiday in 2022?
Yes, Juneteenth is a federal holiday in 2022. Juneteenth became a federal holiday after Biden signed a bill in 2021 declaring it one. Emancipation Day, as it is also known, is the newest federal holiday in America and the first to be declared since President Ronald Reagan signed the bill creating Martin Luther King Day in 1986. Juneteenth 2022 being observed throughout the entire nation as opposed to only certain regions is a major milestone in representation and justice for Black communities. Because Juneteenth 2022 is a federal holiday, most members of the military will be able to observe it as you would any other federal holiday as a non-duty day. Military members who are involved in missions or assignments that do not stop for federal holidays will continue their work while others are encouraged to reflect on what the occasion means and celebrate the freedoms that it helped bring about.
The Military Ties and History of Juneteenth
General Order No. 3 and set things straight. That order stated the following:
“The people are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property, between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them, become that between employer and hired labor. The freed are advised to remain at their present homes, and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
From this order, given on June 19th, 1865, Juneteenth was born, and the estimated 250,000 slaves that resided in Texas were set free.
How To Celebrate Juneteenth 2022
The American Armed Forces helped liberate African Americans in Texas and began providing an avenue to freedom for former slaves, but there was and still is much work to be done. Slavery may be gone, but the wounds are still apparent, prejudices still exist, and marginalized Black communities still fight against systemic racism. If you are looking to celebrate Juneteenth 2022, throwing down on the grill is great, but listening and empathizing with Black communities, donating to charitable Black causes, and supporting our fellow Black neighbors is an even better way to mark the occasion. Read next:All-Black Female 6888th Central Postal Battalion To Be Recognized
Image: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
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