Tales from Utah Valley: Juneteenth can be honored all year

Ivana Martinez, KUER via AP

Juneteenth was just a few days ago, and even though it has passed, there are ways that we can keep the spirit of Juneteenth alive year-round. While this special day has been celebrated by many people for years with family get-togethers, parties and parades, it was just in 2021 that it became a federal holiday.

On June 19, 1865, freedom finally came to some 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state of Texas when 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that all slaves had been made free by executive decree. That June day in 1865 came to be known as Juneteenth by the newly freed people in Texas, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“Juneteenth is the oldest nationally/internationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States,” it reads on Juneteenth.com. “From its Galveston, Texas, origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.”

So, how can we keep the spirit of Juneteenth alive all year? Here are a few ideas.

Education

Learning about the history of the day and of slavery is one way we can continue to honor Juneteenth all year. After all, it is an important part of U.S. history. What did people have to go through to gain and maintain the freedoms that so many of us take for granted today? Educating ourselves and our families is a way to honor those who didn’t get to experience that freedom.

Jeremy Hall

A great way to become educated is to go to a local public library and find books about Juneteenth. There are some interesting children’s books that help readers understand what this special day is all about. Also, some sites to check out online are Juneteenth.com, nmaahc.si.edu and history.com.

Kindness

Juneteenth represents a time of healing. What better way to honor such a time in our history than to be kind to each other? Many people commemorate Juneteenth each year by performing acts of kindness and working together to carry out service for others. This is something we can continue to do all year as a way to keep the spirit of Juneteenth alive, treating others with fairness, respect and kindness.

Remember

It’s important to remember the terrible wrongs that preceded Juneteenth to ensure that that history never repeats itself. Remembering is a way to respect and honor those who had to endure. It’s also a way to remember that there is always hope. Juneteenth marked the end of slavery, something many probably didn’t think would ever happen, and it is truly a day that symbolizes hope.

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