Celebrate Juneteenth and the 4th in the Spirit of Unity!

By Norman Franklin

Norman Franklin

When President Biden signed the law to establish June 19 – Juneteenth – a federal holiday, he acknowledged slavery as “America’s original sin.” Juneteenth became the twelfth federal holiday when signed into law on June 17, 2021.

In his remarks at the signing ceremony, the President spoke of the day as one of profound weight and power, and one of an extraordinary capacity to heal.

The nation can take a step towards healing by celebrating Juneteenth and July 4th, Independence Day, in the spirit of national unity. Not a combination of the two holidays, not by proclamation, but as a voluntary commitment to equality.

Congress declared July 4 th a federal holiday in 1870. It commemorates the day the British Colony declared its independence. With the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, the Thirteen original colonies took the step to becoming the Nation of America. Independence was for White Americans. A venomous social construct had already set the course of the nascent democracy. Americans of African descent had endured chattel slavery for nearly two centuries. It would be eighty-nine years before independence was inclusive of all American. Juneteenth commemorates freedom for the former enslaved.

Equality for the African Americans remained elusive. More than a century of Black Codes, Jim Crow, separate but equal laws followed the end the war that brought an end to the chattel slave system.

The African American, today in 2024, still struggles with the vestiges of a social system based on the melanin in a person’s skin.

Juneteenth and July 4th commemorate independence. The Fourth of July, for many Blacks, and for many years, although celebratory inclusive, was just a performative holiday for Black Americans.

During the two weeks between June 19 and July 4, local communities could, voluntarily, initiate events that recognize the celebrations together.

Shared celebrations provide opportunities for individuals to come together, meet and greet, and build a sense of common identity. We are all Americans.

The act of celebrating together would strengthen social bonds, break down invisible barriers, deconstruct myths, and build cooperation among citizens.

The Juneteenth flag incorporates America while honoring the African American heritage. We cannot deny the distinction of the Black experience. The red, white and blue colors – colors of the American flag, represents that the American Slaves, and their descendants are true Americans.

The Juneteenth holiday gives all Americans the opportunity to learn about the mistakes, and remember that the march toward social justice, and racial justice continues.