What is Juneteenth? We celebrate it with the closing of government offices and schools.
Most folks know it has something to do with Black history and the ending of slavery.
The holiday stemmed from the furor created after the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Thus, many equate the holiday as a rightful pushback against racism. There’s truth to that.
Juneteenth should not only be celebrated as our nation's rejection of racism, but also as a celebration of how people, both black and white, in America were willing to put their lives on the line to end the scourge of slavery.
Slavery was a stain on our nation’s heritage. It cannot be ignored and has to be taught to our children — as it has for generations — so history can never repeat itself.
But as we teach the evils of slavery, we should not distort history and have our young people believe, as many do, that slavery emanated from America.
To the contrary, America didn’t invent slavery. America, through the blood of Northern troops, was one of the first nations on the planet to crush and outlaw slavery.
Slavery existed since the beginning of time in all cultures and races. Unfortunately, it even exists today in various parts of the world. The sex trade continues in an underground, illegal market, even in our own country.
Juneteenth should be an opportunity for us not only to pay homage to those who gave their lives to end slavery, but also to focus attention on the slave trade that persists within our midst.