I grew up outside a small town in New England. Never heard of Juneteeth until it became a federal holiday. I find great value in hearing from people who grew up in a different world with different experiences.
David — this piece exists for you. My small Kansas town kept a freedom celebration alive for 130 years before the federal holiday made Juneteenth something most of the country could name. The fact that you didn't hear about any of it until 2021 is the gap the essay sits inside.
One question back at you: did Emancipation Day ever come across your way growing up? The August tradition, I mean. Separate from Juneteenth. Curious if any of it reached you.
Great personal story and memories. Growing up in Michigan then living in California, I had little or no knowledge of Juneteenth as a holiday. I first learned about it living in Florida, which was the second State to acknowledge it as an offical holiday. But you know Florida, is not the best place to learn becuase over the last 10 years the Governer and Republican-led Florida Legislature have blocked bipartisan efforts to upgrade Juneteenth from a day of observance to an official paid state holiday.
State offices and DMVs remain fully open on June 19th. Compared to FLA Confederate Observances, there is a very clear legal double standard. While Florida denies state employees a paid or unpaid day of commemoration for Juneteenth, Florida law explicitly preserves official state legal holidays for the birthdays of Robert E. Lee (January 19), Jefferson Davis (June 3), and Confederate Memorial Day (April 26).
More of the 2 steps forward and 3 steps back routine, no wonder it's called Floriduh for a reason....
I grew up outside a small town in New England. Never heard of Juneteeth until it became a federal holiday. I find great value in hearing from people who grew up in a different world with different experiences.
David — this piece exists for you. My small Kansas town kept a freedom celebration alive for 130 years before the federal holiday made Juneteenth something most of the country could name. The fact that you didn't hear about any of it until 2021 is the gap the essay sits inside.
One question back at you: did Emancipation Day ever come across your way growing up? The August tradition, I mean. Separate from Juneteenth. Curious if any of it reached you.
Great personal story and memories. Growing up in Michigan then living in California, I had little or no knowledge of Juneteenth as a holiday. I first learned about it living in Florida, which was the second State to acknowledge it as an offical holiday. But you know Florida, is not the best place to learn becuase over the last 10 years the Governer and Republican-led Florida Legislature have blocked bipartisan efforts to upgrade Juneteenth from a day of observance to an official paid state holiday.
State offices and DMVs remain fully open on June 19th. Compared to FLA Confederate Observances, there is a very clear legal double standard. While Florida denies state employees a paid or unpaid day of commemoration for Juneteenth, Florida law explicitly preserves official state legal holidays for the birthdays of Robert E. Lee (January 19), Jefferson Davis (June 3), and Confederate Memorial Day (April 26).
More of the 2 steps forward and 3 steps back routine, no wonder it's called Floriduh for a reason....