It’s lit!! Roommates, this June 19th AKA Juneteenth is about to be Blacker than ever! According to The Hill, the Senate passed legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday! The unanimous decision was made today! Now to be clear, the bill S475 to still needs to pass the House, so it’s NOT final just yet!
However, it’s a huge step forward after a similar resolution was previously blocked in recent years by Republican senators. Texas Senator John Cornyn, who is the lead GOP sponsor, spoke out about the bill in a statement. “The freedom of all Americans that Texas celebrates every Juneteenth should be celebrated all across the nation.” Senator Cornyn continued, “The passage of this bill represents a big step in our nation’s journey toward equality. I thank my colleagues in the Senate for their support and my fellow Texans who have been celebrating this important holiday for more than a century.”
As ya’ll know, Juneteenth is the day we celebrate the emancipation of formerly enslaved African Americans. While the date isn’t an official reference to the end of legal slavery in the United States, it marks when enslaved people in Texas learned of their newfound freedom. On June 19, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom from slavery in Texas. This was nearly two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
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While this is great news, some Roommates took to our comments and expressed other significant bills that African Americans need. “I like this, but we also need a bill passed on an Anti Black Hate Crime Bill too, thanks,” commented one Roommate. Another Roommate questioned, “Where’s the Anti-lynching and anti-racism bill?”
Roommates, what are y’all thoughts about this?
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