The 19th of June, also known as Juneteenth, is going to be Blacker than ever! The Senate has passed legislation to make Juneteenth an official holiday, according to The Hill. Today, a unanimous consensus was reached! To be clear, bill S475 still needs to pass the House, thus it isn’t complete yet! However, it’s a big step forward after Republican senators defeated a similar resolution in recent years. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the bill’s chief Republican sponsor, issued a statement in support of it.
“Every Juneteenth, Texas celebrates the freedom of all Americans, and this should be commemorated across the country.” “The approval of this law is a significant step forward in our nation’s journey toward equality,” Senator Cornyn stated. I appreciate my Senate colleagues’ support, as well as my fellow Texans who have been honoring this important holiday for over a century.” As you may be aware, Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of formerly enslaved African Americans. While the date does not officially celebrate the end of legal slavery in the United States, it does highlight the moment when enslaved individuals in Texas were informed of their newfound freedom.
On June 19, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom from slavery in Texas. This was nearly two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.While this is great news, some took to our comments and expressed other significant bills that African Americans need. “I like this, but we also need a bill passed on an Anti Black Hate Crime Bill too, thanks,” commented one . Another questioned, “Where’s the Anti-lynching and anti-racism bill?”
