Yesterday morning, Salem-Keizer Public Schools [SKPS] and the Salem-Keizer National Association for the Advancement of Colored People [NAACP] collaborated to hold a Juneteenth event virtually on Facebook. The event featured powerful speakers and performances by students and leaders in our community to celebrate the holiday.
The event started off with Salem-Keizer [NAACP] Education Chair Cynthia Richardson and President Pastor Benny Williams introducing the event, followed by Freedom Fund Chair Pastor Wendy Williams presenting the history of Juneteenth. The event also featured several submissions from students in the school district. These submissions included songs, dances and speakers.
“With the times we are currently in and what’s going on across the nation I think it is very very important for kids to be able to express how they feel, and why they feel the way they feel, and to know that they have a place to share their feelings and get the support they need,” Director of Student Equity, Access and Advancement for SKPS, Cynthia Richardson, said.
Among the speakers was Senator Jeff Merkley, showing his support for the celebratory event surrounding the historical holiday.
“It’s commemoration of the official end of slavery in America, as well as a day to celebrate black history, black culture and the countless contributions of black Americans to our nation,” Senator Merkley said.
A few days ago, Governor Kate Brown declared June 19 as Juneteenth in Oregon. She also announced that she will be introducing a bill in 2021 to make Juneteenth a state holiday. It is recognized in 46 states as either a state or ceremonial holiday. The only states that do not celebrate it being Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.
“This year’s Juneteenth celebration is unique. Not only does it come in the midst of a deadly, global health crisis, it also comes as Americans all across our land continue taking to the streets to demand justice, opportunity and equality for everyone in the black community,” Merkley said.
While Juneteenth is not a federally recognized holiday, awareness and celebration has grown across the country. Juneteenth is a holiday celebrating the day the last slaves in the U.S. were freed on June 19, 1865. The emancipation proclamation was written and signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 to free slaves during the Civil War. This was meant to free the slaves in the southern Confederate States of America territory so that they could come to fight with the Union during the war.
The emancipation proclamation failed to have much of an effect in the state of Texas since they seceded from the main United States union. Several slave owners were aware of this and moved to Texas to continue their lifestyles with slaves, disregarding the freedom given to the slaves by the emancipation proclamation. This left 250,000 people enslaved in Texas who were not aware of their freedom for two years. Finally, in 1865, General Granger entered Texas with his soldiers including free African Americans to announce the freedom of the remaining enslaved people.
“I think a number of young people in Oregon are cheated out of the ability to have a full history of this country including the history of African Americans and Juneteenth represents a seminal period in our American experience. The idea of being able to have high schoolers and middle schoolers and others involved is very important,” Vice President of the Salem-Keizer NAACP Dr. Reginald Richardson said.
The video celebration is still available to watch on the Salem Keizer Public Schools Facebook and YouTube page.
