Fourth of July and Juneteenth: Let’s Celebrate!

In July,1776, the Continental Congress passed the Declaration of Independence which declared the political separation of the 13 North American colonies from Great Britain. The document announced the freedom of this nation to govern itself. On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned  two months after the Civil War that they had been freed 2.5 years earlier in 1863, when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. On June 17^th of this year, Juneteenth (a combination of June and nineteenth) became a federal holiday. It is sometimes called Juneteenth Independence Day. Sixteen days separate these monumental freedom holidays. They can be appreciated individually and in combination.

There is still much work to be done in the full realization of freedom in the United States of America, but we have made progress. This is not to imply that we can slow down or stop in our pursuit of freedom and the strengthening of our democracy. However, it is healthy to pause and celebrate achievements.  Let’s prepare for celebrations this weekend. Bring together small groups of family, intimate friends and start up the grill for steaks, burgers, fish, even veggie burgers, retail or homemade. Make the potato and coleslaw salads. Raw or roasted vegetables make savory dishes. Did someone mention platters of deviled eggs, chips and salsa, watermelons, and large bowls of chopped fresh fruits?  Catch up on face-to-face conversations. Play basketball, touch-football, soccer, or whatever games bring laughter and friendly competition. The party can occur on your large lawn, your backyard or in the park. Briefly, share with your children or young folk the meaning of the Fourth of July and Juneteenth.  The day’s celebration is about the freedom won thus far. We are not over the pandemic yet; you might want to avoid large crowds.

You may love the peace and quiet of Me, Myself, and I. Great! If you cook, start preparations early in the week to prepare a solo banquet that you will feast on all through the weekend without putting forth too much effort. And if you are not a chef, try a peanut butter and jelly or raisins sandwich on whole wheat bread. Or on a whole wheat wrap, pile on your favorite hummus, chopped red onions, cucumbers, and heap on the romaine lettuce and spinach or chopped broccoli, tomatoes, arugula. Make several different sandwiches, bowl salads, whatever. These, too, are recommended to be prepared before the weekend. Determine television listings including professional games, and streaming channels. The point is to celebrate the freedoms that the Fourth of July and Juneteenth have given us. By the way, if someone you know is alone or elderly, give them a call and stop by with some good eats for them the day before the Fourth accompanied by some television recommendations and/or some good books or magazines that you think they may like. There might even be a family that you can assist in celebrating the freedom we have.

Search ahead of time for a spot from which to view the fireworks. Whether with family, friends, another person or solo, it can be a wondrous conclusion to a day of freedom that God has enabled us to achieve through the holidays of the Fourth of July and Juneteenth!

Consider:

1. In the first anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, fireworks concluded the day. This impressive burst of sound and color continues to be the concluding expression of the nation’s celebration of its freedom.

2. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, thereby making the Unites States 245 years of age.

3. In Galveston, Texas, enslaved African Americans were among the last to be freed (1865), 2.5 years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation (1863) which ended slavery in the Confederate states and 2 months after the Civil War ended.

4. Juneteenth (June 19^th) has been celebrated annually as an official state holiday first in Galveston, Texas since 1865. Some other states followed.

5. In 2016, Ms. Opel Lee, 89, an African American teacher and activist, walked from Fort Worth, TX. to Washington, D.C. to advocate for Juneteenth (June 19^th) as a federal holiday. She was with President Biden on June 17, 2021, when he signed the legislation making Juneteenth a national holiday.

6. Pandemic Update according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as of June 24^th, 2021:

45.6% of U. S. population has been vaccinated; the goal is to reach herd community status of 70%.

Tri-state area vaccination percentages:                                 A few other states:
Pennsylvania: 48.87%                                                                 Maryland: 54.39%
Delaware: 48.29%                                                                        Virginia: 50.83%
New Jersey: 55.27%                                                                    Michigan: 46.31%
North Carolina: 38.86%
South Carolina: 37.52%
Georgia: 35.44%
Florida: 44.00%

Dorothy Watson Tatem, D.Min., ACC
Senior Associate
Next Step Associates, LLC
Cassandra W. Jones, Ed.D.
CEO & President