Today is the official recognition of Juneteenth, now in its second year as a federal holiday, recognizing the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to give word to enslaved African Americans that they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Juneteenth is both a celebration and a sobering reminder of just how complicated our country’s history is, how little most Americans really know about that history, and, frankly, about the struggle we have forever had to create a truly representative and free democracy.
Last weekend we had a wonderful Juneteenth celebration at the Randallstown Y Swim Center. One celebrant attending eloquently captured the spirit of the day: "Juneteenth is about empowerment. It is a reminder of how far we've come. Too often we as a community fail to understand our history. If you don't know your history it's like you don't have roots. Without roots, you can't grow."
Today’s federal holiday is being celebrated at Y family centers throughout Center Maryland. Here’s what others at the Randallstown celebration had to say about Juneteenth and its importance:
"I brought my children so they can see how we can come together to celebrate our culture."
"Anything involving black history is important to all of us."
"Juneteenth celebrates our culture and we should pay attention."
"It is important to introduce kids to Juneteenth because it's part of our history and we need to know about it and teach our kids."
"As a country that preaches freedom and equality, Juneteenth should be celebrated because that is when everyone was free."
"Juneteenth is the epitome of the actualization of the American dream."
"Juneteenth is important because it's about all African Americans coming together and celebrating what we've accomplished. We've come a long way."
I’d like to thank the many Y associates who organized the Juneteenth celebrations across the Y. As a country and as a Y we’ve all waded through a long and messy web of history that is laden with layers of oppression that surely cannot be washed away due to a new federal holiday, no matter how celebratory. Hard work and honesty are needed to move us forward to a better day. I am heartened by and appreciative of the many Y leaders across our organization who are helping us do the work, for a better us.
All the best,
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland