Juneteenth is a State Holiday: Hear from the Black women who made it happen
“Juneteenth is not a destination. It is a consistent practice in justice. It's a dedication to placing our history first and prioritizing our people..."
Legislation went into effect today to establish Juneteenth National Freedom Day as an official state holiday in Rhode Island beginning in 2024. [See legislation here: 2023-S 0444A, 2023-H 5380A] Bill sponsors, Representative Brianna Henries (Democrat, District 64, East Providence) and Senator Tiara Mack (Democrat, District 6, Providence), as well as Juneteenth Rhode Island President Helen Baskerville-Dukes, spoke to a packed room in the Rhode Island State House ahead of the bill signing.
Juneteenth commemorates the true end of slavery in the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation became effective on January 1, 1863, but the news did not reach the last enslaved people until June 19, 1865, when word of the proclamation was brought to Galveston, Texas. Juneteenth has been recognized as a federal holiday since 2021.
Brianna Henries
“Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests and fellow Rhode Islanders - family - and I'll stick there because we're not friends anymore. We are family.
“I'm glad I wrote my words because, let me tell you, there have been many a times where I've wanted to just cry of pure joy because I could never hope to see something as beautiful and as big as this. So thank you all for being here.
“We gather here on this momentous occasion to celebrate the signing of a bill that recognizes Juneteenth as a state recognized holiday in the great state of Rhode Island. This is a historic moment for all of us, but it holds an even deeper significance for me as a young Black woman. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, represents the triumph of freedom over oppression. It commemorates the day when the news of emancipation reached the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed. It's a day of immence significance in the African-American community, a day that reminds us that there's resilience, courage, and an indomitable spirit amongst us. When I spoke on the House floor the day we passed this legislation, I made a comment at the end about how I didn't quite pass history, but that I had was going to make it.
“I was asked by my peers and many others, 'Is that true? How is that possible? Did you really not pass history?' It is true. Unfortunately, it was not for a lack of intelligence, but rather interest. As a young woman of both Black and indigenous descent, I spent many classes hearing of my ancestor's enslavement as a brief blip of time. You can imagine how exciting I found that. It took me until I was 29-years old to even know about Juneteenth. That was just three years ago. It was the first time that I heard about the liberation of African Americans. The first real time I came to know that many Black [elected] representatives, like myself, existed in the 1800s.
“Perhaps if I knew more, I would've stepped into office sooner. Maybe I wouldn't have doubted my name being on a ballot so much.
“It rings true for so many other unspoken moments of Black American history. One of the most profound ways that we can honor the spirit of Juneteenth is by ensuring that our history is accurately and inclusively taught in our schools. Our young minds deserve to learn about the experiences and contributions of African Americans throughout history, not just during Black History month, but as an integral part of the curriculuum.
“By doing so, we empower our students with knowledge and understanding, fostering empathy and dismantling the barriers of ignorance and prejudice. It is our duty to ensure that the struggles, triumphs, and accomplishments of Black Americans are not relegated to the footnotes of history. We must recognize the systemic injustices that have persisted for centuries, and work together to dismantle them. By embracing Juneteenth as a State recognized holiday, Rhode Island takes a significant step towards acknowledging the pain of the past and committing to a more inclusive future.
“I'd like to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to my allies in the chamber. If I miss you, I apologize, but I know I have in the room with me today Representative Karen Alzate, Representative Jennifer Stewart, Representative Michelle McGaw, Representative Terry Courtvriend, Representative David Morales, Representative Edie Ajello, Representative Maryann Shallcross Smith, Representative Art Handy, Representative June Speakman, Representative Jennifer Boylan, Representative Brandon Potter, and former Representative Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, who was one of my mentors in the chamber when I first got here. Thank you for paving the way.
“Importantly, I would like to thank you all, the community, each one of you, in your lived experiences, in the way that you show up every day in the streets, when you clock in, when you wake up, when you exist in this world, in both Black girl magic and Black boy joy, every way...
“There are many advocates who championed this bill and we've recognized them as well. And I recognize all of those who came before and fought this very hard battle, recognizing the importance of Juneteenth as a day of reflection and celebration and education. Your dedication to equality and justice is inspiring and your actions will have a lasting impact on generations to come.
“So thank you all.
“To my fellow Rhode Islanders, let us seize this moment to come together as community, to learn from our history and to strive toward a future where individuals are valued, respected, and afforded equitable opportunities. By honoring Juneteenth, we affirm our commitment to justice and freedom, and we send a powerful message that the fight for equality and equity continues. So thank you Rhode Island for embracing the significance of Juneteenth and for recognizing that our shared history is a vital part of a collective identity.
“May this day be a catalyst for change - we've only just begun - and an opportunity. This is an opportunity to amplify marginalized voices, a stepping stone towards a brighter, more equitable future for all. Thank you. And may we continue to move forward together.
‘Next step is The Crown Act!”
[The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) would prohibit racial discrimination based on natural textures and protective hairstyles. Similar legislation has been passed in 19 states including Massachusetts and New York.]
Tiara Mack
“Thank y'all. We did it.
“Juneteenth reminds me of all the important work that [has been] done by many before me, and the power of the people that paved the way for me to access a platform like this and to grapple with the challenges that Rhode Island faces, and is faced, by communities of color in our state today, and at a larger scale across our nation.
“The fight for racial healing is a shared fight. It's a long fight and it's one that currently does not have an end. It's a daily practice.
“Now that might not sound optimistic, but I promise it's shrouded in hope. I'm going to talk a lot about hope not just because it's my campaign slogan, 'Hope in Action,' but because I believe in the transformative, gracious, ferocious, naive, joyful, and audacious power of Hope. When we talk about Hope, we're not just talking about change, we're talking about systemic change. I'm talking about Hope in a system that understands, through data and lived experiences like mine and Representative Henries, and the work of countless advocates like those in this room - experts that know the deep scars of racism and the human cost, the financial cost, and the spiritual cost that it has had in our communities. We gather here today to recognize that truth.
“And we know we cannot afford a world, but more specifically, the folks in this room know that we cannot afford a world, we cannot afford a Rhode Island, where violence against Black and brown bodies, communities, and livelihoods is woven into policy and into practices. We cannot afford a Rhode Island where schools consistently fail to show up for our kids. We cannot afford a Rhode Island where our kids are poisoned with lead in our water, poisoned by the air that they breathe in the Port of Providence, in the soil that their families live in, with chronic diseases plaguing our communities, and where our houseless neighbors spend year after year hoping for shelter through a patchwork of social programs that fail to remember, [that] we have not yet solved our most basic problems.
“Juneteenth is about re-grounding in that reality. Whether it's bawling my eyes out watching another Black life lost on television, whether it's joyfully crying because I'm watching Watchmen or Miles Morales in Across the Spider-Verse, or watching Janine teach young kids in Abbott Elementary, or gleefully watching The Little Mermaid and crying just a little bit because it's my favorite Disney movie. Watching someone who looks like me and has hair like mine being celebrated. Those tears are joyful, they're trauma, and they're also hope.
“When thinking about these stories, I feel hope, anger, joy, sadness, despair, and I also feel healing. The transformation of our stories into magic, into movements and into change is one that gives me hope that our communities now have leaders and we have a pathway to make sure that this is not the last stop and it's not the final stop towards justice. We must be the leaders of that Rhode Island, the leaders that reimagine this state and this work and this mission above all.
“Beyond this, we have to be the ones that define policy within our communities. We must be the ones advancing that justice for our communities, uplifting equity and realizing a place where the full spectrum of all of our marginalized identities are uplifted, addressed, [and] radically changed. Not just because we cannot afford [not to], but because we know we can do better for every single person in our state.
“Juneteenth is not a destination. It is a consistent practice in justice. It's a dedication to placing our history first and prioritizing our people and putting us on that path towards greater realized justice. It's a knowledge that our systems were built and founded on our communities not being prioritized, our livelihoods being slighted [and] excluded. Whether it's the redlining of our communities, the creation of credit scores, the passing of Voter ID laws that prevent people in our state from voting, [or] it's placing big polluters in our community's backyards, these decisions were not made in a vacuum. They were made and created for our communities to be dumping grounds.
“Juneteenth is about remembering, honoring, and grounding ourselves in that reality and pushing forward because there is hope in action. It's acknowledging that these decisions, to have clean air, clean water, clean soil. Justice is about fresh air, affordable produce in every single neighborhood, and knowing that it is possible in our lifetimes. It's the hope that high quality public schools that meet and exceed outcomes for every single student, no matter their zip code; the idea that we can provide college, in a future for everyone is a reality; where our schools are no longer pipelines to prisons; where the minimum wage is something that you can live off, pay rent and make sure you can afford life's basic necessities. It's every single job paying a respectable living wage. It's about paid time off. It's about parental leave. Justice is about knowing that, above all, [it’s] not in an alternative universe like Miles Morales, but knowing it's possible right now, not in 20 years, not waiting, right now.
“When I think about Juneteenth as a practice and understanding of justice and hope, I think about the sci-fi and fantasy TV shows using magic or superheroes or popular TV shows and movies that talk about the future - but knowing that future is right here before us and that pathway has already been created.
“The time is now for us to think about these problems, not watching another generation pass before us before we actually get our justice that we've been waiting so long for. It's about closing that opportunity gap - that wealth gap - that has left too many who look like me outside of the decision making table. This day is about grounding and joy and I'm so proud to stand with co-conspirators and folks in this room who made sure that we will be able, in Rhode Island, to forever ground the power, the hope, and the audacious joy that is Juneteenth. So thank you all.
Helen Baskerville-Dukes
“Someone said to me, 'Why do you, in your community, always vocalize your admiration in what you feel about your community?' And I said, 'Because we've been beat down for so long, we've been told we're ugly. Your nose is too big. Your behind is too big. You're too dark, your hair is too nappy. You're ugly. You're not good enough. You don't deserve that, or, How did you get that?"
“I carried that with me for a long time growing up in Florida, even though I was born here.
“I had the opportunity to lead the Juneteenth Commission. Governor [Gina] Raimondo stopped by our second year. That's when the pandemic was in full effect. We were outside, downtown and she stopped by. She hung out with us for about an hour and a half and we just started talking and I said to her, 'We are looking for an apology. All that has been done to us. No one says, I'm sorry.'
“And she said, 'Helen, I'm sorry.'
“I needed that. I needed that to heal, because I carry race around with me every single day. 'Am I going to get this job? Are they looking at my hair? Are my pants too tight or whatever?’
“I carry all these things around, but I am fearfully and wonderfully made, according to the Word of God.
“I'm going to be really quick. Thank you. On behalf of the Juneteenth RI Committee. Thank you Governor McKee and all in attendance. Also thank you to the Black Lives Matter RI PAC, the United Way, NAACP, and Juan Wilson Jr.
“Juan approached me over a year and a half ago with his intentions of advocacy for a bill to make Juneteenth a state holiday. Senator Mack and Representative Henries led the charge and sponsored this bill. Thank you ladies. This is an historic day. The passing of the Juneteenth freedom bill is empowering and the impact will be felt for generations to come.
“Juneteenth is an American holiday. Not only am I African American, I am also indigenous, I am a Narragansett Indian. I'm a Fairweather, if anyone knows about the Fairweathers.
“We all have a part to play in learning, understanding, and growing together. The passing of the Juneteenth Freedom Bill recognizes the horrible history of this country, but also its potential and the work we have to do to make America hold to its promise of freedom and equality for all. With just 22 states recognizing Juneteenth as a state holiday, we are hopeful that other states will follow.
“Thank you and God bless.”