Organizations Increasingly Recognizing Juneteenth As Holiday
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A growing number of organizations, including the Sacramento Kings, are recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday.
The day, June 19, has been celebrated for generations in African American culture. Now in the wake of George Floyd's death and protests, companies are taking a stand.
If you ask people what Juneteenth is, you might be met with confusion.
"In all of my schooling here in California I never heard of it until really recently on social media. I wish they would've talked about it a more in class," explained Sacramento resident, Katie Kessinger.
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Justin Johnson is in his 20's and just learned about the landmark day in the past week.
"It was just something I heard. I didn't grasp what the concept was, I had no idea," he said. "It is not coming from schools, it's not coming from the government, it's coming from the people."
While some know the history of the day, a growing amount of people are hoping more will learn about the context.
"It should be a holiday because for me it feels like it has been hidden for so long," said Sacramento resident David Johnson.
The day commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. Even though President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, slaves in Texas didn't hear the news until June 19, 1865.
"It is our Fourth of July. We are finally free, we are able to celebrate it in festivals, telling stories of our history, giving information that our children, grandchildren would've never had," said Sacramento NAACP President, Betty Williams.
The Sacramento Kings are joining the growing list of companies around the country, that are making the day a paid company holiday. In a statement, the Kings said it will give team members time to reflect and participate in civic engagement.
"We are proud to celebrate Juneteenth, honoring Black history and further committing ourselves to creating positive meaningful change," said Sacramento Kings Chief Operating Officer Matina Kolokotronis. "The Kings remain dedicated to working with our community to address racial inequity through sustained action."
The team is also sharing educational resources online at Kings.com/Juneteenth. The team plans to support the 26th annual Juneteenth festival that will be virtual this year due to COVID-19.
Other organizations observing the day include Target, Nike, Goggle, and the NFL -- to name a few. Governors in Virginia and New York are also recognizing it as a holiday in their states.
"You can go to Houston, Texas where the celebration of Juneteenth is almost like a national holiday. It is huge in Houston -- not as much here in California," said Williams.
Williams would like to see the day recognized as a national holiday.
"It would force the entire nation to learn the history of African Americans," she said.
Because of coronavirus, the celebrations this year will be much different. The NAACP will be holding a car parade through town and the Kings plan to commemorate the day in a virtual festival.
The links to those events are below:
http://rwmedia.today/juneteenthfestival.html
https://www.facebook.com/sacramentoactso/photos/a.313112702729084/574275013279517/?type=3&theater