Juneteenth in Indiana: It’s Been Around for 150 Years
STATE WIDE–Many Black Hoosiers have been celebrating Juneteenth for over 150 years, with names like Emancipation Day, Freedom Day or Jubilee Day. Now that it’s a federal holiday, it goes beyond church events and community celebrations.
“We as a caucus and as a people want to give thanks to our ancestors who fought so hard for our freedom. We also want to encourage other people, to let them know that the fight is not over,” said state Rep. Robin Shackleford, head of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus.
LISTEN: State Rep. Robin Shackleford on Juneteenth
She said every American should participate, to make sure the country is living up to its ideals of freedom.
“So, I think making it a national holiday raises this day to levels it should be, and everyone can see it in their eyes as an important event that should be celebrated.”
Though it has been clear that this would become a holiday for federal employees, some agencies, like the U.S. Postal Service, have not yet chosen to participate with a day off.
“Out of respect for the legislation, for the day, all federal agencies should have let their staff off,” said Shackleford. “You have staff members who are African-American who want to recognize and celebrate the day and then you also have other staff members who are not African-America, but want to support their African-American co-workers.”
The Postal Service says it supports the holiday, but hasn’t had time to adjust.
Shackleford said the holiday is now for all Americans.
Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States, by celebrating June 19, when Black slaves in Texas were informed by Union troops that the war was over, and their freedom had been won. It is the first federal holiday made legal since Marin Luther King Day in 1983.
Shackleford said that it may have been delayed as a federal holiday for so long because of skewed priorities.
“It’s very hard to get this type of a day put as a priority,” she said. “I know we have other priorities as far as making sure people are fed, making sure they have access to affordable health care, quality education. So, a lot of times the celebration of these days gets pushed to the bottom of that priority list.”
She said that following the pandemic and recent fights and demands for equality and equity, she believes Juneteenth is a perfect choice for a new holiday.
