Juneteenth 2026. Self-Determination, Black Liberation & the Freedom We Still Fight For. #RMU

Opal Lee, the 'grandmother of Juneteenth,' emphasizes that the holiday signifies freedom not just for Black people in Texas, but for everyone. She argues that true freedom remains elusive as long as systemic disparities in joblessness, homelessness, healthcare, and education persist. For her, Juneteenth is a step, but not the end of the fight.

Opal Lee states, 'Juneteenth means freedom. And I'm not talking about for black folk in Texas, I'm talking about everybody. And we're not free yet. As long as we have the disparities that we have, we're not free.' She lists joblessness, homelessness, and healthcare as ongoing issues.

Dr. Gerald Horne reveals that General Granger's arrival in Galveston on June 19, 1865, was backed by 75,000 'colored troops.' These Black soldiers were crucial not only for enforcing emancipation in Texas but also for countering Confederate plans to resume slavery in Texas and deport Black people to French-ruled Mexico. This force also served as a hammer against French troops in Mexico, preventing a resurgence of the Civil War.

Dr. Gerald Horne explains, 'He was accompanied by 75,000 so-called color troops. And why did he need so much backup? He needed so much backup because the settlers in Texas... had this idea of resuming slavery in Texas.' He adds that many Black people were to be 'deported into Mexico to continue slavery.'

Republican strategist Ali Spiekerman argues that African Americans are not seeking white guilt or admissions of privilege, but rather for white people, especially leaders, to acknowledge and actively dismantle significant structural barriers to Black advancement. These barriers exist in criminal justice, the economy, housing, and education. He calls for white people to take on the burden of pointing out injustice and unfairness.

Ali Spiekerman states, 'What most African Americans are waiting for is for white people, especially white leaders, to wake up and acknowledge that there are significant structures and barriers remaining in place to African American advancement in our country.' He urges white people to 'start pointing out injustice, unfairness, insults.'

Roland Martin asserts that Juneteenth's federal recognition forces America to annually confront its 'original sin' of slavery, a topic often ignored or dismissed. Unlike other holidays, it's difficult to strip the slavery narrative from Juneteenth, providing an opportunity to correct historical records and highlight ongoing economic inequality stemming from slavery.

Roland Martin states, 'The benefit of Juneteenth is we don't have to get over it. Now they ARE FORCED TO HAVE to discuss it at least once a year.' He adds, 'we now get to put the history on the front burner, and we now get to walk folk through not just Juneteenth, but what has happened since Juneteenth, especially when it comes to economic inequality.'

Historian Carl Mack contends that the federal designation of Juneteenth as the end of chattel slavery is historically inaccurate and insulting. He argues that slavery officially ended on December 6, 1865, with the ratification of the 13th Amendment, and that over 225,000 enslaved people in border states like Kentucky and Delaware were not freed until then. He highlights that Delaware ratified the 13th Amendment in 1901 and Kentucky in 1976, with Mississippi doing so in 2013.

Carl Mack states, 'Slavery ended in this country on December 6th, 1865, 6 months after Juneteenth.' He further explains that '225,000 of our ancestors still enslaved' in Kentucky and Delaware 'did not taste freedom until December 6th, 1865.'

Sam Collins III, a historian with the Juneteenth Legacy Project, emphasizes the critical need to control the narrative of Juneteenth to prevent its whitewashing and commercialization. He warns against allowing businesses to profit from the holiday without acknowledging its deep historical and economic context, advocating for support of existing Black organizations that have long preserved this history.

Sam Collins III states, 'We have to control the narrative.' He warns against the holiday becoming 'an opportunity for businesses to make money, to sell mattresses, to sell shirts,' and urges support for 'existing organizations in our community that have been doing the work.'

Kevin Cohee, CEO of One United Bank, advocates for mandatory financial literacy education from K-12, asserting it is the largest factor suppressing Black economic growth. He states that such legislation is worth over $127,000 in a person's lifetime and is crucial for closing racial wealth and income gaps, making it an essential skill for effective participation in society.

Kevin Cohee states, 'It's that lack of financial literacy that is probably the largest factor suppressing our economic growth right now.' He adds, 'passing this legislation it's been calculated is worth $127,000 over a person's lifetime.'

Jason Edwards, son of the late Texas State Representative Al Edwards, highlights his father's foundational role as the 'father of Juneteenth.' Al Edwards championed the bill that made Juneteenth a state holiday in Texas in 1979, and then spent decades traveling to other states, advocating for similar legislation. This extensive groundwork led to 45 states recognizing Juneteenth before its federal designation, demonstrating a long political fight preceding recent national attention.

Jason Edwards states, 'Dad started Juneteenth USA in 1979... The idea that the fact that Juneteenth needed to be a federal holiday was his dream from the very beginning.' He notes that '45 states in the Union was celebrating Juneteenth as a state holiday' before recent leaders became involved.