New Jersey Governor Declares Juneteenth a Public Holiday

And it’s a problem.

As a New Jersey governor has declared it a public holiday. Firstly, let’s recap a few things…

Since the death of George Floyd, protests for the movement have been happening across the globe in volumes we’ve never seen before.

But George’s death has sparked an outrage like never before.

And they are all marching for one thing: For the blatant racism and injustice in this country to be brought to an end.

But change needs to happen and, at the moment, this seems like the only way to make it happen.

Thanks to these riots, the Black Lives Matter movement is dominating global headlines, and it has completely taken over social media.

For instance, a group of people painted large yellow letters saying “Black Lives Matter” down two blocks of 16th Street in D.C – a two-lane road that coincidentally leads to the White House.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

In school, we were all taught about our country’s rich history… but it turns out that we are all completely oblivious to some very important facts in regard to the black community and slavery.

And when children are taught about it in school, they’re more than often told it ended with Abraham Lincoln’s signature on the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.

As late as June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Texas were still held in bondage, and on that date, federal troops entered the state and began to punish slaveholders and former Confederates who refused to obey the law.

“Juneteenth is a deeply emotional moment for enslaved people,” historian Karlos K. Hill, of the University of Oklahoma, said.

“Being able to go wherever they want and being able to wander about; for enslaved people, it was an expression of their freedom,” Hill explained. “Formerly enslaved people celebrating, in public, their newfound freedom, was an act of resistance.”

The lynching era — when hundreds of African Americans were brutally killed by white mobs each year across the North and the South — began soon after.

And it demonstrates highly were some of the disgusting attitudes towards black people come from.

It is still celebrated by many people across the country, and it is usually dubbed as “Independence Day for the black community.”

And even though it is recognized as a state holiday across the majority of the country, it’s importance needs to be acknowledged.

He said that commemorating Juneteenth is important for all Americans because it helps us see all the ways that slavery still shapes this country, including, as he says, “the desire to master and dominate black bodies.”

But if the racism that they face on a daily basis is never dealt with properly and the people responsible aren’t held accountable, how on earth are they considered to be free?

And there has been a development.

He signed the bill yesterday alongside first lady Tammy Murphy and star SZA who present through video chat.

Governor Murphy shared a video of the signing on Twitter and alongside he wrote “Honored to be joined by @SZA and @FirstLadyNJ as I signed legislation making #Juneteenth an official State and public holiday. 

You can read the full press release here. This marks such an important time in the history of not only our country but also of the African American community – let’s make it happen.