Juneteenth became our nation’s newest national holiday last week. Only a few days earlier, Governor Janet Mills signed a bill designating June 19 as a paid state holiday starting in June of 2022. Although long celebrated in African American communities, until recently few knew the significance of Juneteenth.
An abbreviated version of those events from the New York Daily News follows. “On June 19, 1865, Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved African Americans that the Civil War was over and that they were freed by Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, signed two years earlier.” Those are the facts, however, a more meaningful telling of the significance of the day by a woman whose family lived the events can be found in this 2020 video produced by the Washington Post.
Many consider Juneteenth as our country’s second Independence Day. It is a day to celebrate the joy of freedom, while also acknowledging the many wrongs of slavery and the ongoing need to address racial disparities in the United States. Lynett Roy, a member of the Bangor Advising team, DEI Council Member, and UMA graduate, shares her reflections on Juneteenth.
“Juneteenth is a day of remembrance for the dreams that were lost, stolen, and snuffed. It is a day to remember I am my ancestors’ dreams! I carry the name of my enslaved grandmother. Passing on her dreams and hopes to my children. It is because of her fortitude, prayers, and dreams that we can live our best lives today. I will never forget her sacrifices and others that came before me!”
– Lynett Roy
Staff Associate for Academic Advising and UMA DEI Council Member