New York will have a new day off - in honor of the liberation of slaves

On June 17, the Governor of New York signed a decree recognizing June 19 as a paid holiday in the state dedicated to the liberation of slaves in the United States. Writes about it ABC News.

While the measure applies only to this year. But New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that next year he will propose a bill according to which June 19 (Juneteenth is the name of the holiday) will become a permanent holiday in the state. Such a bill is already under consideration by the legislature.

“This is the day we should all reflect on the past. This day is especially relevant at this historic moment, ”Cuomo said.

Several states are already celebrating Juneteenth. The roots of the holiday go back to Texas - the first state to legalize it, it was in 1980.

The proclamation to free the slaves of President Abraham Lincoln entered into force on January 1, 1863, but it took a long time to deliver the news. Only on June 19, 1865 the Union army brought news of the liberation to the slaves in Galveston (Texas), which made them one of the last to be liberated.

The Governor of Virginia also proposed formally approving this holiday throughout the state. Protesters across the country have called for action to combat the legacy of racial oppression and discrimination in the United States after Minneapolis police officers killed African-American George Floyd.

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“I want to be a driving force for change and I want to help join forces in this moment,” Cuomo said. “Whether it’s a reform in the police department, whether it’s an expansion of racial understanding. And if Juneteenth is part of getting people to recognize and understand what happened, that's great. "

Cuomo also called on local police departments across the state to get serious about reform over the next few months. The governor has set a deadline of April 2021 for police officers to implement specific reforms or they will lose assistance to police departments.

New York Assembly spokeswoman Alicia Hindman, a Democrat, introduced a bill to make Juneteenth a celebration in honor of "African American Freedom and Achievements."

“As a state, we have a responsibility to recognize and celebrate June 19, not only by adopting resolutions, but by stopping work across the state to recognize and comprehend the day that changed the trajectory of the lives of most African Americans who were held as slaves in the United States,” Hindman said.

What you need to know about Juneteenth

Texas was one of the seven Confederate States of America, and even when Lincoln's executive order was passed on January 1, 1863, "the people of the region were still not going to accept it," said Dwayne Jones, chief executive officer of the Galveston Historical Foundation, writes ABC News.

“In fact, there were slaveholders who moved from other parts of the South, from the slave states, to continue the practice of slavery in Texas because they knew they could own slaves in Texas for a longer time,” said Kelly Navis, museum specialist. and a historian at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Jones said that when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865 with troops of 2000 Union soldiers dressed in red to enforce the Proclamation for the Liberation of Slaves, this was “a very important point.”

Granger read an overview of the Liberation Proclamation, and the last enslaved people in the US were released.

Initially, this day was known as Liberation Day, and the first celebration took place in January 1866, when about 1 African-American families gathered in Galveston for a peaceful rally in one of the city's earliest African-American chapels.

The combination of the month and the date Granger arrived in Galveston gave the name to the holiday, which has been known for over 100 years: Juneteenth.

“Celebrating June 19 gives people the opportunity to reflect on the history of what we are experiencing now,” said Navis. "It gives people the opportunity to ask themselves what are the root causes of the racial conflicts we are experiencing."

Juneteenth 155 years later

The celebration of June 19 eventually departed from rallies in churches and became more secular, but the tradition remains. Cities like Buffalo, Kansas City and Chicago celebrate it.

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The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 and the ensuing protests sparked keen interest in the history of Juneteenth.

“We thought that the 155th anniversary of the holiday would grab attention on its own, but unfortunately, there were other events that did that,” Jones said.

Navis said conflicts between African Americans and the police can be traced back to the era of reconstruction that took place between 1865 and 1877.

“Police stations were formed to control the recently released African Americans, and this continues to this day,” Navis said.

“We must fight not only for justice; it must be possible to prevent situations that allow us to be the victims we have been, ”said James Felton Keith, who represents New York's 13th District in the State House of Representatives.

In New York, Keith organized a march in support of the Black Lives Matter.

Juneteenth after 2020

Keith said that he grew up in a family celebrating Juneteenth, attending rallies in different cities, and he was disappointed that it took so long for this day to be widely recognized.

"Juneteenth is now a buzzword, although we've used it to gain attention for generations," Keith said.

Jones said he sees increased interest as an opportunity to maintain momentum and expand knowledge of Juneteenth history.

“I'm sure the Emancipation Proclamation is discussed in school, but not in depth. Juneteenth is out of the question. This is what we think needs to be changed. Juneteenth is demanding more education and recognition as a national holiday, ”Jones said.

Some companies, including Nike and Twitter, were the first to make Juneteenth a paid holiday.