Today is Juneteenth Day, which marks the emancipation of Black slaves in Texas in 1865, and celebrates emancipation generally. It’s a good day to reflect both on racism and on the many overlapping issues of social justice in our country.
Our country (heck, our world) still grapples with racism—and racism intersects with issues of ableism, with LGBT equality, and more. The fight for Black civil rights does not exactly parallel that of LGBT civil rights, but there are similarities, as this touching post at The Grio by Nadine Smith of Equality Florida makes clear. I don’t wish to draw comparisons, though, as much as to say we should figure out how we can each use our particular backgrounds and experiences across all the parts of our identities to work together for the betterment of all.
I encourage all parents to share the story of Juneteenth Day with your kids, even if it’s not something you typically celebrate. (My son’s school doesn’t mention it at all, as far as I know.) Here’s a brief summary from the Library of Congress, if you need a cheat sheet. If you do celebrate, please leave a comment and share how you do so!
It’s also helpful, while waiting for what could be a milestone in civil rights (the Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling on marriage equality) to remember the successful milestones that have been reached before. Flexing that moral arc. . . .