The Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would make Juneteenth, or June 19th, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
The bill would lead to Juneteenth becoming the 12th federal holiday. It is expected to easily pass the House, which would send it to President Joe Biden for his signature.
Juneteenth commemorates when the last enslaved African Americans learned they were free. Confederate soldiers surrendered in April 1865, but word didn’t reach the last enslaved Black people until June 19, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to Galveston, Texas. That was also about two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves in the Southern states.
“Making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a major step forward to recognize the wrongs of the past,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “But we must continue to work to ensure equal justice and fulfill the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation and our Constitution.”
The Senate passed the bill under a unanimous consent agreement that expedites the process for considering legislation. It takes just one senator’s objection to block such agreements.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., had objected in the previous Congress to a bill to celebrate Juneteenth as a federal holiday because of the cost and lack of debate, he said. Johnson noted that he has supported resolutions recognizing the significance of Juneteenth, but he was concerned the new holiday would give federal employees another day off at a cost of about $600 million per year.
“While it still seems strange that having taxpayers provide federal employees paid time off is now required to celebrate the end of slavery, it is clear that there is no appetite in Congress to further discuss the matter. Therefore, I do not intend to object,” Johnson said in a statement before Tuesday’s vote.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and had 60 co-sponsors. He tweeted Monday: “We have a long road towards racial justice in the United States and we cannot get there without acknowledging our nation’s original sin of slavery. It is long past time to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.”
The vast majority of states recognize Juneteenth as a holiday or have an official observance of the day, and most states hold celebrations. Juneteenth is a paid holiday for state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia and Washington.
Under the legislation, the federal holiday would be known as Juneteenth National Independence Day.
(AP)
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4 Responses
All slaves knew very well that they had been freed by the Federal government. Remember the well known “saying” that the only means of communication faster than the speed of light is the “grapevine”. Being a slave meant you have a very bed labor contract, and has nothing to do with intelligence. The idea that slaves were “ignorant” about emancipation is ridiculous, though the story might have been a way to avoid rubbing it to the defeated rebels who would be unhappy that their neighbors were celebrating victory (i.e. gloating), rather than merely celebrating freedom. What the date really commemorates is the surrender of the last Confederate army and the end of the Civil War (Appomattox was only the surrender of one Confederate army, the war continued for another two months).
It is a perfect date for a holiday since it corresponds to when school finish their year, meaning that along with Labor Day it is a “bookend” for the summer. Memorial Day (originally, memorial day for Union soldiers) is too early for most primary and secondary students since it comes several weeks before the end of the school year.
It probably should be made the third Monday in June, and they might consider moving Memorial Day to a Sunday (and perhaps cancelling more Federal holidays, since most research shows employees prefer added days off to added holidays).
What a scandal & waste of taxpayers’ money.
We already have a holiday commemorating this type of event:- It is know as Passover.
Will alternate side parking be suspended?
147, Passover is not a public holiday.
The whole idea is stupid, because the date has no national significance. In Texas it is a holiday, and rightly so. But there is no reason anyone outside Texas should celebrate an event that is unique to that state.