ARCC Blog

When I think of Juneteenth, I am happy that we can honor a day to celebrate a time representing freedom for African Americans. Anywhere in the United States, not just in Galveston, Texas.

The Southern border was not always the land split between the United States and Mexico. That area was the land of the Yaqui, the Apaches, and several other Indigenous groups with hundreds or thousands of years of history.

Growing up in Valparaiso, I had hardly heard of Juneteenth outside of passing conversation; this makes sense, considering the 2020 census listed the town’s demographics as roughly 80% white-identifying. Still, this begs the question: why is the observation of the now-federal holiday still so limited?

They say knowledge is power. Fortunately, when it comes to Juneteenth, there’s no shortage of learning opportunities. As a Philadelphia native, I thought I’d share some city-wide events, for locals to explore. 

Juneteenth is a day to celebrate our country’s second Independence Day. As a Texan, this day is especially important for us to remember and to be educated about because we were unfortunately the last state to enforce the emancipation proclamation to free all the slaves. 

As many people know, Juneteenth marks the day when Union soldiers marched into Galveston Bay, Texas, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, to announce the end of slavery and free the enslaved people there. During Juneteenth, there is much conversation about the Emancipation Proclamation.

International Juneteenth celebrations underscore the cultural exchange and solidarity among freedom movements. In Germany, Berlin hosts Juneteenth celebrations where African American expatriates and local activists collaborate to promote awareness of black history and contemporary issues.

A year ago, the Supreme Court decided that affirmative action programs, where institutions systematically considered race in applications, violated the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Since then, the sole way race can be considered in an application is through an essay.

What is liberation? How does one define it? What does a liberated life look like? When I ask myself if every human in the US is emancipated/liberated this Juneteenth, (and I assume you too) would also say ‘no, Americans today are not liberated.’

I feel very honored to be a part of ARCC. I have learned so much in the last three weeks, whether it is something new or I need to be…