Reflections on Juneteenth and the Meaning of Freedom

I recently returned from a trip to Abuja, Nigeria to visit friends and family. After doing a DNA study and learning that my ancestry is predominately from Western Africa, I had a strong desire to visit that part of the world. On this particular trip, I wanted to meet people and see what life is like in Nigeria today. As our country continues to grapple with the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, I will save the part of Africa’s history dealing with the slave ports and trading posts for a future trip.?

Even as I focused on the present during this trip and planned to see more of the history sometime in the future, I could not help but reflect on the institution of slavery and the meaning of freedom, particularly in the context of Juneteenth. Understandably, Juneteenth continues to be marked as a day of joy as it commemorates the jubilation that the slaves of Galveston, Texas, felt when they were made aware of their freedom. However, there are multiple disheartening aspects to this happy story that we must remember even as we celebrate this holiday. It is our responsibility from our present-day perspective to think critically about the quality of freedom those former slaves in Galveston received and whether freedom has been fully realized for all people in our country today. It is also important to remember that Juneteenth is so significant because it is the day that we celebrate the emancipation of slaves in America a full two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was initially issued. It took two full years for the Union Army to achieve enough victories to establish an ongoing presence to enforce the order. ?

No matter how sweet freedom must have seemed for those who had experienced a life in bondage, freedom for those former slaves would not resemble the freedom of people who had been free since the country’s founding. In the generations after the Civil War, free Black people fought against the injustices of Jim Crow, segregation, and numerous other forms of systemic and interpersonal racism that restricted their ability to fully enjoy their freedom.

In our country, we often say that “freedom isn’t free,” meaning that our freedom is not boundless; maintaining our liberties requires self-sacrifice and altruism. While I believe this is true, I also believe that today, as we reckon with the change brought about by the Black Lives Matter movement, we must apply a new definition to this phrase. “Freedom isn’t free” should mean that, while people may have freedom under the law, they may not truly be free in their lives. While all people may have freedom, are all people free to use it?

Words are important. Laws that abolished slavery and outlawed segregation were vital tools of social change and advancement for Blacks/African-Americans and other people of color. However, we are all responsible for ensuring that the letter of the law is reflected in the lives of the people who the laws are meant to benefit and protect. After the Civil War, it could not be assumed that all slaves were free just because they had legally been granted their freedom. During the height of the civil rights movement and still today, we cannot assume that segregation and racial discrimination do not exist just because they have been outlawed.

Freedom is the comfort of knowing that when you go to a hospital or health facility, you will be treated as a unique individual rather than pre-judged by the color of your skin and misdiagnosed because of someone else’s prejudice. Freedom is a feeling of confidence and certainty that you will have a stable home, a reliable economic future, and access to the health care you need. When you lack freedom, you worry about the statistics; you assume the worst and try your best to hope for something better for yourself and your family.

We should always strive for and celebrate progress. Juneteenth is a commemoration of one of the most pivotal and remarkable moments of progress our country has ever seen. However, we should also pay attention to the limitations of the progress we make and remain vigilant to ensure that progress on paper is reflected as progress in people’s lives.