Celebrating Juneteenth, An American Independence Day
During an 1852 speech in Rochester, Frederick Douglass said, “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.” Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation wouldn’t go into effect until January 1, 1863. And it would take until June 19, 1865 for word of the Emancipation Proclamation to make its way to Texas.
Juneteenth celebrates this anniversary and marks the end of slavery. It is an Independence Day for all Americans. It is both a celebration and a call to action.
The 13th Amendment officially abolished slavery in the United States in 1865. But the freedom granted to formerly enslaved people was fraught, and that legacy of violence and discrimination continues today. The renewed discussions and protests around police brutality and white supremacy following the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery (and the list goes on…) make it clear that there is still so much work to do to ensure true equity for all Americans. It has also brought Juneteenth into focus for many who had previously been unaware of this important American holiday.
Vox provides a great overview of the history and significance of Juneteenth.
Our work as preservationists is to help save our shared cultural resources for future generations; to tell the complete, messy stories of our history; and make sure we are using historic preservation as a tool for community revitalization and economic growth in an equitable way. As a field, there is still a lot of work to be done. The League has been honored to be involved with several historically significant African American sites and projects around New York State (both the Elmhurst African American Burial Ground and Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest & Ninevah Subdivisions (SANS) are on our current Seven to Save list, for example), but we know there are so many more that are at risk of being lost. The places that people in power deem worthy of preserving, and how those places are evaluated, can create a steep barrier for marginalized communities. We are committed to being a voice to advocate alongside BIPOC communities as people with boots on the ground work so hard to preserve their histories. As preservationists, we need to step up to meet this moment, and recognize the opportunity we have to ensure the places we preserve reflect our society as a whole.
Do you know a place in NYS worthy of preserving? A building, neighborhood, or landscape that could use some technical assistance or advocacy? Please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.