Juneteenth!

President Joe Biden signed the law that commemorating Juneteenth as a federal holiday in 2021.

Now we celebrate the second year of this national holiday honoring the freedom of African Americans. It took a full two years before the state of Texas delivered the news that slaves working on plantations and laboring were freed.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States declared that "all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free... [S]uch persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States ... And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of Justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity. I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God...."

Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 informing Texans that slavery has ended.

On June 19, 1865, we celebrated Juneteenth.

Formerly enslaved people in Galveston rejoiced after the announcement. On June 19, 1866, Texas freedmen organized the first of what would would become Jubilee Day.

Biden was instrumental in getting the law passed. It was a failed effort by his predecessor Washed Up 45. In 2020, the former president considered holding rallies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Republicans like Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and former lawmaker Will Hurd tried to convince the former president to get on board with Democrats in passing a national holiday. It would have gained Black voters. The former president ignored their pleas. He tried to hold a rally in Tulsa on Juneteenth.

He had to rescheduled after Scott warned him it was in poor taste. He also held this event in the city when the pandemic was very high. Herman Cain became the victim of an unfortunate circumstance.

After testing positive for the coronavirus, Cain died two weeks later. 

Washed Up 45 went on to push conspiracy theories, culture wars and blatant attacks on opponents which eventually led to his defeat in the 2020 election.

Biden spurred by a large Black turnout said that he would pass the George Floyd Policing Act, the John Lewis Voting Bill and establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday. 

The president would at least get Juneteenth. The Senate failed to pass policing reform and voting reform. The Republicans, Sen. Karen Sinema (D-AZ) and Sen. Karen Manchin (D-WV) stalled legislation. Sinema and Manchin refuse to end the filibuster as well.

Juneteenth was pass with 415 votes in the House. Rep. Karen Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Karen Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Karen Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Karen Cawthorn (R-NC), Rep. Idiot Karen Greene (R-GA), Rep. Karen Scalise (R-LA) voted with the Democrats.

The only white nationalists that voted against it were Rep. Karen Jackson (R-TX), Rep. Karen Gosar (R-AZ), Rep. Karen Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Karen Brooks (R-AL), Rep. Karen Clyde (R-GA), Rep. Karen DeJarlais (R-TN), Rep. Karen LaMalfa (R-CO), Rep. Karen Norman (R-SC), Rep. Karen Tiffany (R-WI), Rep. Karen Roy (R-TX), Rep. Karen Massie (R-KY), Rep. Karen Rosendale (R-MT), Rep. Karen Rogers (R-AL), Rep. Karen McClintock (R-CA), Rep. Karen Crenshaw (R-TX), Rep. Karen McHenry (R-NC) voted against it.

The bill unanimously in the Senate. Sen. Karen Johnson (R-WI) tried to tank the bill but backed down.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Juneteenth marks the anniversary of the announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army general Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas. Originating in Galveston, the holiday has since been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States, often broadly celebrating African-American culture. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in June 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.The Juneteenth flag is a symbol of the Juneteenth holiday.