[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 22, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E678-E679]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 16, 2021

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the importance 
of celebrating Juneteenth as a national holiday.
  For a century after the last slaves were freed, Black Americans were 
denied the rights considered ``unalienable'' by the Constitution. Even 
after July 4, 1776, millions of enslaved people and their descendants 
would not experience independence for decades. Over the last 50 years, 
systemic racism has continued to hinder many who strive to live out the 
American Dream.
  Despite the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, Black 
people would remain enslaved in parts of the Confederacy for nearly two 
and a half years. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger 
arrived in Galveston, Texas, delivering news of the end of the Civil 
War and of slavery.
  The message he conveyed that day was simple. General Order Number 3 
declared that ``. . . all slaves are free. This involves an absolute 
equality of personal rights and rights of property, between former 
masters and slaves . . .''
  The following year, the newly liberated people of Texas began 
celebrating Juneteenth as a celebration of answered prayers and new 
opportunities.
  This tradition slowly spread throughout the country, eventually 
becoming a holiday or day of observance in 49 states and the District 
of Columbia. My home state of Rhode Island has observed Juneteenth 
since 2012.
  While Juneteenth has been widely celebrated among African American 
communities since the end of the Civil War, the prominence of the 
holiday has grown significantly in recent years.
  I am proud to have supported the Juneteenth National Independence Day 
Act when it passed in Congress and was signed into law last week. It is 
my hope that June 19th will serve as a day of reflection and an annual 
call to recommit ourselves to the American ideals of freedom and 
equality.
  For far too long, our society has denied the promise of these ideals 
to many Americans.

[[Page E679]]

From the Jim Crow era until today, Black Americans have been the target 
of racism and bigotry, treated as second class citizens, denied 
opportunity, and subjected to countless violent attacks by racist mobs 
and individuals.
  Over the last year, the United States has experienced the most 
intensive reckoning with slavery and its legacy since the Civil Rights 
Movement of the 1960s.
  The Black Lives Matter movement and nationwide protests following the 
death of George Floyd have cast a light on the disparate outcomes that 
persist for Black people in education, employment, interactions with 
the police, and numerous other aspects of everyday life.
  These disparities contribute to--and are influenced by--the 
intergenerational racial wealth gap. Recent studies show that Black 
children face significantly higher rates of downward economic mobility 
and lower rates of upward mobility compared to white children.
  For instance, a Black child born into a high-income family is as 
likely to end up in the bottom 20 percent of earners as an adult as 
they are to remain in top 20 percent. In contrast, a white child born 
to parents with the same income is five times more likely to remain in 
the top income quintile as they are to fall to the bottom of the income 
distribution.
  The systemic racism ingrained in American society must come to an 
end. As Members of Congress, we need to face this challenge head on, 
with clear eyes, open minds, and full hearts. Making Juneteenth a 
national holiday is a start, but our constituents have shown us that 
sustained Congressional inaction is no longer an option.
  This is the moment to pass comprehensive policing reform, protect and 
expand voting rights, and remove the vestiges of slavery from our 
social fabric for good.
  In the last two years, the House has passed the George Floyd Justice 
in Policing Act and the Voting Rights Advancement Act. The Commission 
on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act was signed into law in 
December after passing both chambers with overwhelming bipartisan 
support.
  This is the kind of legislation we need to begin unwinding the 
political, economic, and societal policies that have disadvantaged 
Black Americans since Reconstruction.
  This Juneteenth, I hope my colleagues join me in reflecting on the 
myriad barriers to opportunity that exist for far too many Black 
Americans and in promoting concrete actions Congress can take to remove 
them.

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