Remembering Our True History this Juneteenth

Today marks 160 years since enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their promised emancipation. The Civil War had ended, and two years had passed since President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This day is commemorated as Juneteenth.

This Juneteenth is the first as a federal holiday under President Trump. Since his first week in office, he has made banning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government his top priority. Black American history has been erased from federal websites. Celebrations of Black History Month have been banned by federal agencies. These discriminatory attacks make it all the more important to observe Juneteenth, and to demand that the erasure of Black history not be tolerated.

Today is an opportunity to celebrate, and to recognize that the work is far from done. The ratification of the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude led the U.S. into Reconstruction. However, many states immediately passed Black Codes, restrictive laws that limited the freedom of Black Americans and ensured their exploitation as labor.

While we recognize all of the progress that has been made, the fight for civil rights in the U.S. continues. We must work together to reform the governmental and social systems in our communities that promote racial discrimination. The reforms we have now were earned, and we cannot let them be buried by Trump’s bigotry and ignorance of the true history of our country.

I had the opportunity to attend the 5th Annual Juneteenth Observance at the Rondo Commemorative Plaza, hosted by the Rondo Center of Diverse Expressions. I listened to families and residents who were directly affected by the actions of our government not long ago, including St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. The mayor reminded us that while communities are still recovering, it doesn’t mean they can’t continue to move forward.