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The Guardian
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Trump fails to mark Juneteenth, federal holiday celebrating end of US slavery
Donald Trump failed to mark Juneteenth, commemorating the ending of slavery in the US, until he posted on Thursday night that there are 'too many non-working holidays' in the country. The US president has put out statements previously as president and even tried to take credit for boosting awareness of the significance of 19 June before it became a federal holiday under the Biden administration. But on this year's Juneteenth holiday on Thursday, the garrulous president kept silent on all platforms about a day of particular importance to Black Americans until his late post. Asked earlier on Juneteenth whether Trump would commemorate the day in any way, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters: 'I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today. I know this is a federal holiday. I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here. We're working 24/7 right now.' Asked in a follow-up question whether Trump might recognize the occasion another way or on another day, Leavitt said: 'I just answered that question for you.' On Wednesday, Black community leaders from across the country, senior Trump administration officials and other individuals met at the White House to discuss improving coordination between the leaders and federal, state and local partners, according to a senior White House official. The US housing secretary, Scott Turner, and Lynne Patton, the White House director of minority outreach, were among those who attended, said the official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss a private gathering. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States by commemorating 19 June 1865, when Union soldiers very belatedly brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. Their freedom came more than two years after Abraham Lincoln liberated enslaved people in the Confederacy by signing the Emancipation Proclamation during the US civil war. Trump's silence on the issue also deviated from White House guidance that the president planned to sign a Juneteenth proclamation. Leavitt didn't explain the change. Trump held no public events on Thursday, but he shared statements about Iran, the TikTok app and the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, on his social media site. Then, in the evening, Trump complained on the site about 'too many non-working holidays' and said it is 'costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed'. But most retailers were open on Juneteenth. The Associated Press contributed reporting
CBS News
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Sacramento celebrates Juneteenth with events held citywide
Thursday marked the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth and freedom for Black Americans. The federal holiday recognizes the official end of slavery through the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln. Still, enslaved people in Texas did not find out they were free until nearly two years later on June 19th, 1865. Since then, the 19th of June represents a day to celebrate freedom and community. CBS13 stopped by four different Juneteenth events happening across Sacramento on Thursday. In Oak Park, music and dancing lifted up Sacramento's Black community with a block party organized by St. Hope and Esther's Park. "We have Black vendors, Black DJs. We are celebrating us as a community," said organizer Kristen Martin. The block party was sold out, welcoming hundreds out to celebrate until 10 p.m. as the community came together in joy. "We have the day off, it's a federal holiday for us to celebrate Juneteenth. We are excited for us all to come together to celebrate this day," said Martin. The day's events focused on freedom, progress and culture. At the California State Capitol on Thursday afternoon, the California Black Agriculture Working Group celebrated the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth with music, vendors and educational resource booths for the community. Children performed traditional songs for the crowd. "It means advancement for my people. Dr. King would be proud as well. Oh my god, he would be bubbling over," said Terry Dison, a vendor at the event. In midtown, the free Juneteenth Art Walk took place all afternoon on Thursday. The celebration was a vibrant, music-filled parade and event lifting up voices, creativity and legacy. "Vendors, food, performances. It's gonna be a full day of art and joy and community and celebration," organizers told CBS13. At the California State Library, Sacramento Juneteenth Inc. hosted its 22nd annual Juneteenth VIP reception, and speakers offered a reminder of the day's meaning. "It's important because it's American history. The African American experience in America needs to be talked about. History does not need to be whitewashed or deleted," said Greg Simon, executive director of Sacramento Juneteenth, Inc. At the ceremony, difference makers in Sacramento were honored with the "Community Soldier Award." "Pleshette Robertson, Theo Dickson, as well as Mr. Antonio Harvey. Each year, we give out this award to those unheralded heroes doing work for the community, in the community," said Simon. The celebrations continue into the weekend. Friday and Saturday, Sacramento's Juneteenth Southern Soul Festival will be held in William Land Park featuring musical performances, a parade, a fashion show, more than 80 vendors and much more. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend.
The Independent
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Photos of Juneteenth celebrations commemorating end to slavery
Juneteenth celebrations took place across the U.S., commemorating the day in 1865 when enslaved Black people in Texas learned of their freedom. While long honored by Black Americans, the holiday has gained broader recognition since becoming a federal holiday in 2021 under President Joe Biden, who attended an event in Galveston, Texas, where Juneteenth began.
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Juneteenth celebrations across the US commemorate the end of slavery
PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire: Juneteenth celebrations unfolded across the US on Thursday, marking the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas and attracting participants who said current events strengthened their resolve to be heard. President Donald Trump honored Juneteenth in each of his first four years as president, even before it became a federal holiday. He even claimed once to have made it 'very famous.' But on this year's Juneteenth holiday on Thursday, the usually talkative president kept silent about a day important to Black Americans for marking the end of slavery in the country he leads again. No words about it from his lips, on paper or through his social media site. The holiday has been celebrated by Black Americans for generations, but became more widely observed after being designated a federal holiday in 2021 by former President Joe Biden, who attended a Juneteenth event at a church in Galveston, Texas, the holiday's birthplace. The celebrations come as Trump's administration has worked to ban diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, or DEI, in the federal government and remove content about Black American history from federal websites. Trump's travel ban on visitors from select countries has also led to bitter national debate. In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Robert Reid waved a large Juneteenth flag at the city's African Burying Ground Memorial Park, where African drummers and dancers led the crowd in song and dance. Reid, 60, said he attended in part to stand against what he called Trump's 'divide and conquer' approach. 'It's time for people to get pulled together instead of separated,' he said. Jordyn Sorapuru, 18, visiting New Hampshire from California, called the large turnout a 'beautiful thing.' 'It's nice to be celebrated every once in a while, especially in the political climate right now,' she said. 'With the offensive things going on right now, with brown people in the country and a lot of people being put at risk for just existing, having celebrations like this is really important.' Juneteenth's origins and this year's celebrations The holiday to mark the end of slavery in the US goes back to an order issued on June 19, 1865, as Union troops arrived in Galveston at the end of the Civil War. General Order No. 3 declared that all enslaved people in the state were free and had 'absolute equality.' Juneteenth is recognized at least as an observance in every state, and nearly 30 states and Washington, D.C., have designated it as a permanent paid or legal holiday through legislation or executive action. In Virginia, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held for rebuilding the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, one of the nation's oldest Black churches. In Fort Worth, Texas, about 2,500 people participated in Opal Lee's annual Juneteenth walk. The 98-year-old Lee, known as the 'grandmother of Juneteenth' for the years she spent advocating to make the day a federal holiday, was recently hospitalized and didn't participate in public this year. But her granddaughter, Dione Sims, said Lee was 'in good spirits.' 'The one thing that she would tell the community and the nation at large is to hold on to your freedoms,' Sims said. 'Hold on to your freedom and don't let it go, because it's under attack right now.' Events were planned throughout the day in Galveston, including a parade, a celebration at a park with music and the service at Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church that Biden attended. During a Juneteenth speech in Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore announced pardons for 6,938 cases of simple marijuana possession, which can hinder employment and educational opportunities and have disproportionally affected the Black community. Moore, a Democrat who is Maryland's first Black governor and the only Black governor currently serving, last year ordered tens of thousands of pardons for marijuana possession. The newly announced pardons weren't included in that initial announcement because they'd been incorrectly coded. In New Hampshire, Thursday's gathering capped nearly two weeks of events organized by the Black History Trail of New Hampshire aimed at both celebrating Juneteenth and highlighting contradictions in the familiar narratives about the nation's founding fathers ahead of next year's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 'In a time when efforts to suppress Black history are on the rise, and by extension, to suppress American history, we stand firm in the truth,' said JerriAnne Boggis, the Heritage Trail's executive director. 'This is not just Black history, it is all of our history.' What Trump has said about Juneteenth During his first administration, Trump issued statements each June 19, including one that ended with 'On Juneteenth 2017, we honor the countless contributions made by African Americans to our Nation and pledge to support America's promise as the land of the free.' When White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked during her Thursday media briefing whether the president would commemorate the holiday this year, she replied, 'I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today.' Later Thursday Trump complained on his social media site about 'too many non-working holidays' and said it is 'costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed.' Most retailers are open on Juneteenth, while federal workers generally get a day off because the government is closed. New Hampshire, one of the nation's whitest states, is not among those with a permanent, paid or legal Juneteenth holiday, and Boggis said her hope that lawmakers would take action making it one is waning. 'I am not so sure anymore given the political environment we're in,' she said. 'I think we've taken a whole bunch of steps backwards in understanding our history, civil rights and inclusion.' Still, she hopes New Hampshire's events and those elsewhere will make a difference. 'It's not a divisive tool to know the truth. Knowing the truth helps us understand some of the current issues that we're going through,' she said. And if spreading that truth comes with a bit of fun, all the better, she said. 'When we come together, when we break bread together, we enjoy music together, we learn together, we dance together, we're creating these bonds of community,' she said. 'As much was we educate, we also want to celebrate together.'
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ottumwa community gathers for fourth annual Juneteenth celebration
Monica Leo, left, and Dartanyan Brown perform "Remembering Buxton" at Ottumwa Juneteenth Celebration. (Photo by Tom Foley/Iowa Capital Dispatch) OTTUMWA — Black history took center stage Thursday during the fourth annual Ottumwa Juneteenth celebration. Families and community members gathered in Central Park for a day of live entertainment and education centered around 'unity in the community.' 'Juneteenth gives an opportunity for us to celebrate the holiday, to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, ' said Rachelle Chase, an Ottumwa author and one of four organizers for her city's Juneteenth celebration. 'That's the one time, the one holiday where the spotlight is on that.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In 2020, Chase noticed a local theater troupe was hosting a weeklong Juneteenth event. She recognized the attention the Black community was getting in the wake of George Floyd's murder and decided to partner with local Pastor Diana Koger, Joe Koger and Dr. Jeff Hendred to organize a local celebration. Ever since, the Ottumwa community has joined in the long-standing tradition of Juneteenth, which began as early as 1866. Many historians place the first celebration of what was then called 'Jubilee Day' to Galveston, Texas, where many gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of the emancipation. It officially became a national holiday in 2021. 'It's imperative that we, especially in the times we are in right now, take a moment to recognize and commemorate our history. The truth of our history,' said Dana James, founder and publisher of Black Iowa News. 'The truth of this country begins its history of enslavement. Why wouldn't we commemorate the end of that?' James is the founder of a digital news platform dedicated to showcasing the Black community and amplifying the voices of Black Iowans. Her paper held one of several booths around the park promoting community resources such as the Ottumwa Human Rights Commission, several Black-owned businesses such as 5 Star Graphic Design, and many others. At 1 p.m., families gathered in a shaded corner of Central Park for Eulenspiegel Puppet Theater Company's performance of 'Remembering Buxton,' based on Chase's book 'Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa.' Her book tells the story of an unincorporated coal mining town, established in 1900, where the Consolidation Coal Mining Company provided miners with equal housing and pay, regardless of race. 'It was a complete anomaly for its time because it was a 100% egalitarian town,' said Monica Leo, managing director and lead puppeteer for Eulenspiegel. 'It only existed for 25 years because the coal mine played out.' Leo said she was 'inspired by that story and wanted to do something with it,' so she reached out to Chase and the two collaborated in interpreting the story of Buxton as a puppet show. Recognizing a need for live music, they reached out to Des Moines musician Dartanyan Brown who wrote and performs the music for the story of Buxton. Leo and Brown have performed in shows together since the 1970s, when the two worked as part of the Des Moines Art Collective, a travelling art group that performed in towns with populations less than 5000. Brown said festivals like Juneteenth are important because they 'give people a sense that they, their heritage, their culture and their history are relevant to the entire American picture.' James added: 'Black Americans helped make this country what it is and you can't tell the story of this country without telling the stories of Black Americans, they're right in the center of it.' Editor's note: Rachelle Chase, Dana James and Dartanyan Brown are members of the Iowa Writers' Collaborative, which has a partnership with Iowa Capital Dispatch. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
