It’s been nearly 10 years since my cousin Ingrid Scott-Weekley passed away from cancer. She was a remarkable woman who taught me a lot about race in America. One of her most important lessons? Overcoming America’s past is everyone’s responsibility. Recognizing Juneteenth is a small yet important part of that overcoming. The fact it wasn’t a federal holiday until 2021 is a reflection of both racism and our uneasiness talking about race, not an indication of the importance of the day itself.
In 2016, the teacher and activist Opal Lee walked from her home in Texas to Washington to bring attention to the day. Still it remained in limbo until the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Even as that horrific event sparked global protests, President Trump planned a campaign rally in Tulsa on the holiday — before outcry forced him to reschedule. Something about a white nationalist holding a political rally at the site of a horrific race riot on the day the enslaved were freed just felt off.