EDITORIAL: Juneteenth acknowledges progress, potential
Although Juneteenth recognizes the end of slavery in the United States, it is not solely the purview of Black Americans. It is a celebration of all America, of our nation's ability to evolve and grow and strive toward the ideals it professes to hold dear.
Equally important, it is an acknowledgement that we have not always acted as though all men (and women) are created equal, despite the lofty ideals articulated in our founding documents.
Juneteenth was established as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. The legislation had passed the House of Representatives by a 415-14 vote and passed the Senate by unanimous consent. Federal workers receive the day off, as do state workers in 33 states (including Washington). Numerous private employers (including The Columbian) also observe the holiday.
And while Juneteenth has entered the national lexicon in recent years, it is likely that many Americans do not understand the history of the word and the holiday. In fact, it refers to June 19, 1865, when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and informed Black residents that they were free people - marking the practical end of slavery rather than the symbolic one.
On Jan. 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that slaves in rebellion states were free. On April 9, 1865, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee had signed articles of surrender that effectively ended the Civil War. On April 15, 1865, Lincoln had been assassinated.
The fact that some slaves remained unaware of their freedom until June 1865 not only demonstrates the communications limitations of the time, but also the difficult and never-ending work that is required for the United States to live up to the creed that people "are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Acknowledging our nation's struggle to enact those words is not a sign of weakness or guilt or shame. It is a sign of strength, an indication that we can recognize past shortcomings and overcome them. And yet the Trump administration is eager to bury our nation's past rather than embrace it.
For example, in 2020, Congress had removed the names of confederate generals from nine military bases in the United States. The Trump administration restored those names, while pretending that is not what it was doing. Fort Bragg in North Carolina, for example, is now officially named for World War II Pvt. Roland Bragg, rather than Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg. As Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, "He has dishonored himself by associating Private Bragg's good name with a Confederate traitor."
In other examples, President Donald Trump issued an executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History"; the decree led to the removal of references to slavery at federal monuments and museums. The names of people of color from American history - including Harriet Tubman - have been scrubbed from federal websites. A federal judge last week ordered the administration to undo those changes and to pause any additional alterations.
While pretending to restore truth to American history, Trump instead has worked to whitewash that history. The result is to bind our nation with an inability to move forward, to grow, to live up to our ideals.
That is the point of celebrating Juneteenth on Friday. It is an acknowledgement of how far we have come as a nation - and how far we still have to go.
Unlock all stories. Stay informed.
Starting at just $1.99/week
Become a subscriber and get unlimited access to every story, plus our ePaper and app for seamless reading anywhere. Stay informed, support local journalism, and stay connected to your community.
Subscribe today
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 7:08 AM.