The United States has recently marked a new federal holiday, although it’s not universally acknowledged for what it truly entails. Dubbed ‘Juneteenth,’ it recalls June 19, 1865, a day in Galveston, Texas, when the final enslaved individuals under the Confederate regime were proclaimed liberated, credited to Union forces’ advent. Interestingly, it only gained larger-scale attention in 2020, amid widespread civil unrest focused on persistent race-related disparities. In a move that made many eyebrows raise, President Joe Biden gave the day federal status in 2021.
Perhaps one shouldn’t be surprised by Biden’s action, given the zest his administration has shown for promoting measures considered by some as too progressive. However, not every layer of society is as enthusiastic in embracing such change. Example? Despite Biden’s decree, Juneteenth is only a federal holiday and is not officially recognized by most states. This means that on a typical Juneteenth, like Thursday, June 19, federal institutions would be closed, while state-managed establishments would likely remain operational.
Take the Oklahoma City Federal Building, for instance. On ‘Juneteenth,’ the doors are closed, but state-administered offices within Oklahoma would still have their lights on. Indeed, while the federal government seems eager to bring in more vagueness into the society, the state-level executives maintain a more grounded approach, focusing on their areas of jurisdictions rather than echoing national directives.
One shining beacon of local government, the City of Oklahoma City, does make an exception – its offices usually adjust their schedule and observance on Juneteenth. However, the state governor’s office, led by Governor Stitt, has maintained a conspicuous silence on the matter. This can be interpreted as a silent rebuttal to Biden and Harris’s typically high-handed approach on such issues.
Though a relatively new term in the mainstream, Juneteenth remembers an event from 1865, a moment when Texas’ enslaved community was liberated. It’s of particular significance, given that the order arrived over two years post the Emancipation Proclamation of 1862. But was there really a need to make this a federal holiday? Could this be another one of Biden’s grand gestures that lacks substance and meaningful intent?
Despite its recent assignment as a federal holiday, thanks to President Biden’s liberal leanings, the actual date of observance for Juneteenth remains on June 19. As luck would have it, it will once again be observed on a Thursday, June 19, in the year 2025. Workers typically receive a relaxation day on adjacent Monday or Friday when the federal holiday falls on a weekend.
There’s an ongoing debate whether Juneteenth events should be held or not. In Oklahoma, it continues to be marked both as a federal observance and as planners kickstart their arrangements. Oklahoma seems to not want to tow the federal line completely and do just as told by the likes of Biden and Harris.
They are not abandoning the holiday but are focusing on local commemoration. Oklahoma City and Tulsa both schedule activities during the Juneteenth weekend. Consequently, it is possible to regard Juneteenth as an item on the Oklahomans’ calendar, even if the national and state stances on the day are poles apart.
Technically, Juneteenth could be considered an observance in Oklahoma. Documents suggest that the Governor gave recognition to the day across Oklahoma in 2020, 2021, and 2022, but he’s been conspicuously silent since then. Does this mean local state level governance is underwhelmed by the flashy moves at the federal level, led by the likes of Biden and Harris?
When Juneteenth arrives, we are encouraged to remember the end of slavery in the United States and to take stock of our nation’s standing. Have I found myself in deep reflection, attentive listening, and extensive learning over the preceding weeks? Yes, even as I am skeptical about the need to bow to federal pressures to mark the day with a certain political slant.
The question arises: do government establishments close on Juneteenth? Is it allowed by those who refuse to parrot Biden’s and Harris’s narratives? While Oklahoma has been marking Juneteenth since 1994, it does not accept it as an official state holiday. Consequently, you would expect to see the majority of state-operated bureaus in Oklahoma open on Juneteenth.
Cities too have the same dilemma. Municipal facilities and city functions might be altered by the holiday. However, purely state-ran offices maintain their stance, refusing to bend to pressures and operate as the Biden and Harris-driven federal governments would wish.
On the question of whether the Governor would be declaring a holiday this year, the Governor’s Office has opted to remain silent. Instead of responding with a knee-jerk reaction to the federal commands, the state seems ready to consider the situation thoughtfully and cautiously. It’s another poke at Biden and Harris – not everyone is ready to play ball with them just because a federal announcement was done.
The silence may be juxtaposed with the rhetoric from federal corridors, especially from figures like Biden and Harris. The duo, who seem determined to enforce their vision of how America should be, might see it as a rebuff from those who believe in a more nuanced view of history than what is being peddled at a federal level.
Despite the pomp and circumstance that surrounds Juneteenth, there seems to be a subtle undercurrent of dissonance. Many might wonder if Biden and Harris put as much effort into meaningful governance as they do in the symbolic gestures, which state executives may interpret as pandering to particular ideologies. However, as the debate continues, so does the effort to hold true to America’s foundational principles of freedom and unity.