My paternal family hails from Shepherdsville, Kentucky. They fled the racist and economically discriminatory practices of Jim Crow, joining the earliest waves of the Great Black Migration. My great-great-uncle, Grandison Kelley, served in the 122nd Colored Regiment Infantry, organized in Louisville on December 31, 1864. His regiment arrived in Texas in June 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger and Union troops arrived to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, ensuring the constitutional rights and dignity of Black Americans—an event we now celebrate as Juneteenth. My great-great-uncle's name is on the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
For Black Americans descended from those who survived and resisted chattel slavery, historical relational connections like these aren't uncommon. Our families have always been active participants—not mere spectators—in Juneteenth. While it marks the day in 1865 when Union troops informed enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, of their freedom, Juneteenth must also serve as a historical marker, denoting where we've been and where we must go.
Juneteenth is part of a growing number of Black holidays to enter America's national identity. Memorial Day, recognized for honoring military service deaths, has roots in the Black community. In 1865, formerly enslaved individuals in Charleston, South Carolina, commemorated Union soldiers by giving them proper burials and holding a parade. This act of remembrance by Black Americans laid the foundation for Memorial Day.
Across the nation, communities are finalizing their Juneteenth programs with speakers, activities, food, and promotions. But as our democracy faces multi-faceted attacks, we must ensure Juneteenth doesn't become an idyllic, empty celebration, as some have sought to render the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. While recognizing our progress, we must also get serious about the ongoing efforts to roll back democracy—from limiting education on accurate history and diverse perspectives in schools to undermining voting rights and access.
Despite the relentless attacks on our multiracial democracy, hope is not lost. Our ancestors never surrendered their dream for a brighter tomorrow. We must push forward with the same belief in the importance of freedom. This is why Juneteenth matters so much.
Juneteenth is less a celebration and more a wake-up call for the necessity of organizing to prevent the erosion of rights, liberty, and fairness. This year, it coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act, and the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. That's why this year Juneteenth should remind us to build on our aspirations and hopes for the future.
Building on Juneteenth means embracing radical pluralism, a core part of Black America's radical project for inclusive democracy. Radical pluralism champions inclusivity, diversity, and power building, rejecting conventional Left/Right political paradigms. It emphasizes inclusion, belonging, and opportunity over exclusion, othering, and discrimination. By countering systems of white supremacy and combating white nationalism, radical pluralism aims to foster an equitable, just, and democratic society recognizing the voices and needs of marginalized communities.
The southern-driven civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s delivered on behalf of the Black radical project, securing national policies addressing racial segregation, non-discriminatory access in education, employment, housing, and voting rights. These hard-won notions of fairness, equity, and opportunity set our country on the path towards authentic multiracial democracy. But freedom must be defended, and victories can never be taken for granted. Now it is our turn.
Today, inequitable redistricting processes hinder voters of color from electing their candidates of choice. Numerous state measures make it harder for Black communities to vote, as do felony disenfranchisement laws. The right to vote must be vociferously protected.
Moreover, we must acknowledge the ongoing violence and systemic injustices disproportionately affecting Black Americans. The more than 1.63 million excess Black deaths compared with White Americans highlight the urgent need for systemic change. Police killings reached record highs in 2023, 10 years after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. These alarming figures demand continued activism to protect Black lives.
As we commemorate Juneteenth, we must continue to drive social and economic justice movements toward true equity and belonging. Our ancestors did not endure slavery, terror lynchings, Jim Crow, and racial subjugation for us to drop the ball. Juneteenth reminds us of the promises we must keep to those who came before and those who will follow.
Harriet Tubman's words resonate loudly: "If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there's shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going." Slavery today may look different, but we cannot rest until we are free in every sense of the word. Juneteenth grounds July 4 as real and valid for all of us, especially Black and Indigenous people.
Juneteenth is far more important than what we eat, wear, or do with our day off. We must honor the sacrifice of others and organize in their honor. This is our duty today and always.
Eric K. Ward is a nationally recognized civil rights activist, executive vice president of Race Forward, and an expert on the intersection of democracy, civil rights, and hate violence.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
