Former president Donald Trump was lambasted when he failed to recognize Juneteenth. This federal holiday marks the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. On June 19, 1865, the history of our nation shifted forever. It commemorates the day when Union soldiers told enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, that they were free—over two years after Pres.
Unlike in 2019 and 2020, this year Trump said nothing about Juneteenth. Finally, he did not host any public events to acknowledge the day’s significance. Instead, as he was anticipated to do, he waited until almost midnight on Thursday night to post on social media, sharing his views against holidays. He argued, “There are too many unnecessary holidays in the country.” Critics immediately took this to mean that he would be dismissing a day that acknowledges and celebrates one of the most important parts of American history.
Trump bragged that he brought awareness to Juneteenth during his presidency. Later, he put a fine point on his efforts to raise its profile. Until this year, he graciously recognized the observance. This was a dramatic reversal from the White House’s previous promise that he would sign a proclamation honoring it.
On Juneteenth, U.S. Housing Secretary Scott Turner and Lynne Patton of HUD at the White House. Their objective was to further develop the efficiency and effectiveness of planning coordination among agency heads and federal state and local stakeholders. Trump’s absence from any public celebration was certainly notable.
In the run-up to this year’s commemoration, the new White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt spelled it out for reporters. Instead she welcomed the news that Trump would not sign a proclamation recognizing Juneteenth. Anyone who was even half paying attention was not surprised at all with this announcement. Monday’s acknowledgment by the president was a first step in addressing that history.
Though the majority of retailers did not close their stores on Juneteenth, Trump’s attention seemed to be diverted in other directions the rest of the day. He released incendiary comments on various controversial topics through his social media channel. Unfortunately, he stopped short of emphasizing the meaning behind Juneteenth or its relevance to today’s racial climate.