SHOULD JUNE 4 BECOME A NATIONAL HOLIDAY?

SHOULD JUNE 4 BECOME A NATIONAL HOLIDAY?

The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which establishes a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the US, has recently been signed by President Joe Biden.

On 19 June 1865 - months after the northern US states defeated the South in a civil war fought over slavery, enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free. The day became known as Juneteenth, a word created by joining the words "June" and "nineteenth" together. The liberation of enslaved people in Texas came more than two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all enslaved people in the rebellious states to be free. This is the first new federal holiday established in the US  since 1983 when Martin Luther King Day was instituted.

I often wonder if national or federal holidays really carry significance for a majority of any countries population? Do American hispanics or south east asian residents have any affinity with the history surrounding MLK Day? In Canada, how many of the younger (under fifty) generation even know that the May 24th holiday was instituted originally as Victoria Day in tribute to former Queen Victoria of the British Commonwealth? Or does it really matter one way or another if you are supportive of the day of commemoration, it is a holiday and who can’t support that? 

On some level, every day of the year, and every week and month, all have some designated special notation. These recognitions are a combination of actual and tongue-in-cheek labels. For example, did you know that my birthday, June 4th is actually recognized as Frozen Yogurt Day or Cheese Day? July 1st is recognized as Canada Day in our country, but has also been identified as International Joke Day, Build a Scarecrow Day or Praise a Postal Worker Day by someone, somewhere? Now that June 19th has been designated Juneteenth Day it is going to have to compete with the current designation of Sauntering Day for that date on the calendar.

Will this new institution of a national holiday open the door to a flood of new requests that highlight recent events that have had a significant impact on our world? In recognition of the horrific impact of the Covid pandemic on our world, will we need to stop for a day of reflection similar to our Remembrance Day in November? During a time when human rights and freedoms are being fought for on a number of fronts can we expect special days to highlight the struggles of various racial and ethnic groups? I would suspect that strong voices fighting for the rights of Indigenous people, the BLM movement and the LGBTQ etc. community will be building strong arguments for an official national day to recognize their issues. 

In the meantime, I shall just be contacting my apologetic Prime Minister to see if Ken’s Birthday can become the official day of recognition on June 4th and not have to compete with frozen yoghurt or cheese. 

PS If you are interested in finding out the special recognitions awarded to your birth date go to http://www.emotionscards.com/locations.html