As Americans, we have a duty to challenge the systems of oppression that dehumanized our ancestors and continue to oppress us today. We have a responsibility to know our history and to educate our youth on the history they’ve inherited. This is why recognizing Juneteenth as an official holiday is a critical and worthy fight for us today.
Juneteenth (June 19th) is a commemoration of the liberation of formerly enslaved Black people in the United States. The holiday was created in remembrance of June 19, 1865, the day that some of the last set of Black enslaved people in Galveston, Texas received the news of their emancipation. Many Black Americans prefer to celebrate Juneteenth over July 4th.
Currently, the third Saturday in June is reserved for Juneteenth in Illinois. This recognition is limited in scope and acknowledgment. Because of this limited recognition, Juneteenth is not widely celebrated in Chicago, a city founded by Jean-Baptist-Point DuSable--a Black man.
Last year on Juneteenth (June 19, 2019), the Black Remembrance Project held a celebratory protest requesting that the city of Chicago make Juneteenth (June 19th) an official holiday.
On November 20, 2019, Alderwoman Maria Hadden of Chicago's 49th Ward introduced Juneteenth legislation. 40 of the city's 50 Aldermen signed on. However, there have been questions around the cost of making the holiday official.
Sign this petition and let the city of Chicago know that you want Juneteenth (June 19th) to be recognized as an official holiday.
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This petition is sponsored by The Black Remembrance Project and Black Culture Week.
The Black Remembrance Project is a grassroots advocacy group in Chicago dedicated to the preservation and upliftment of the history of Black American Descendants of Slavery. In addition to advocating for proper recognition of Juneteenth in Chicago, the Black Remembrance Project also hopes to establish a tradition of a Juneteenth celebration in Chicago's downtown area.
If you are interested in supporting The Black Remembrance Project's Juneteenth efforts, please contact us and follow us on social media!
Email:
[email protected]
Twitter: @BlkRemembrance
Facebook: @BlackRemembranceProject