Juneteenth, commemorated on Thursday, marks our nation’s second Independence Day – the end of slavery in the United States. It celebrates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved people in Texas were told they were free – two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Though celebrated by Black Americans for generations, Juneteenth remains largely unknown to many – and that’s not just a shame, it’s an ongoing injustice. Especially now, as the Trump administration seeks to erase or rewrite history it deems too aligned with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies it aims to dismantle.
Supporters view DEI as a way to create inclusive environments, comply with civil rights laws, and prevent discrimination. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey told The New York Times that most Fortune 500 CEOs say diversity improves their bottom line. Opponents, including Trump, argue DEI results in discrimination and undermines merit.
The Herald’s editorial board stands with the CEOs and applauds Durango residents – and businesses that continue to uphold DEI policies and values – for celebrating Juneteenth, even as others retreat to align with Trump (Herald, June 16).
This year’s 6th annual Juneteenth celebration, hosted by the Southwest Movement for Black Lives, takes place Thursday from 5–7 p.m. at Buckley Park. It will include speakers, dancing, music, and food (Herald, June 11).
Organizer Tracy Jones said, “Even if there weren’t any Black people here at all, it should still be celebrated – because it’s American history.”
Yes – history the Trump administration seems determined to bury. Writer Ernie Atencio (Herald, Jun. 18) asks: How can park rangers “tell a happy story” about Colorado’s Amache National Historic Site, where thousands of Japanese Americans were incarcerated? Or about the Sand Creek Massacre site, where Congress condemned the slaughter as a “foul and dastardly massacre?”
These histories can’t be retold to fit a more “patriotic” narrative. As Atencio writes, “That shameful story is the truth.” Nothing can change that.
