Finally Federal
As new federal holidays emerge, questions arise about their national significance. WORDS by ALEXANDRA SIEGEL ART by OLIVIA DAVENPORT and CLAIRE TOLLES
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olidays are supposed to be celebratory and reflective, not controversial. Companies and schools question what holidays to celebrate, and with more holidays being added to the Federal Reserve observation list, this inquiry appears more than ever. Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples’ Day are being given attention in ways they have not been before —because of recent federal recognition, or lack thereof. They have been celebrated in their respective communities for years, but are beginning to get attention on a national level. These holidays commemorate certain people and significant dates that have altered United States history, for better or for worse. In recent years, the media and government have created a narrative about the importance of these events, and it is deemed crucial to understand these holidays and their ongoing significance to the American experience. Today, there is a debate over the necessity of these recently anointed holidays, like Juneteenth. Amid protests against structural racism and police brutality, Juneteenth is celebrated in tradition as an act of resistance and recognition of racebased issues. It is also known as a Freedom Day, and while it has been recognized in the African-American community
for over 150 years, it is now getting mainstream attention. The holiday finds its roots in Galveston, Texas, where enslaved blacks learned about their right to freedom on June 19, 1865. The celebration started in Texas but quickly spread to other states, symbolizing the magnitude in which emancipation was acknowledged. Juneteenth highlights the good and the bad of America’s past—it’s symbolic of liberation and freedom, but also critically examines consistent oppression and inequity that is deeply rooted in white supremacy. Authors, professors, historians, and politicians are actively searching for ways to balance the negativity Juneteenth bears and the tradition and hope it symbolizes. “There was a time where people were forced to be separated. Juneteenth and family reunions grow out of trauma and form a notion of togetherness,” said Annette Gordon-Reed, author and Harvard Law School professor of History. “My hope is that this is a holiday that can reemphasize that we all have families and we all have communities.” In her latest book, “On Juneteenth” Gordon-Reed speaks about the hardships that her ancestors endured through enslavement and after emancipation, and connects
