Happy Juneteenth!

June 19, 2002 8:35 AM

Happy Juneteenth! On this date in 1865, slaves in Texas were notified that Lincoln had emancipated them two years earlier. It's a state holiday in Texas, and Juneteenth is observed in pockets of other states. Should it become a national holiday?
posted by Holden (16 comments total)

Yes. It's also my birthday. (And I'm sure everyone really wanted to know that...)
posted by Pinwheel at 8:49 AM on June 19, 2002

Then why don't I have the day off? And to think, I work for County Gov't.
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:49 AM on June 19, 2002

Should it become a national holiday?

Nah. I view it as a "Out of the fire and into the frying pan" sorta thing.
posted by black8 at 10:20 AM on June 19, 2002

as if us lazy americans need ANOTHER excuse not to go to work ...
posted by aenemated at 12:56 PM on June 19, 2002

i think the point of a national holiday isn't to give us an excuse not to go to work. it's to give us a day when we don't need an excuse. after all, Uncle Bob can only die so many time.
posted by tolkhan at 1:31 PM on June 19, 2002

as if us lazy americans need ANOTHER excuse not to go to work ...

Yeah! Give us another four or five days off and us "lazy Americans" would be starting to hit the average number of vacation days for those hard working Europeans.
posted by RevGreg at 2:06 PM on June 19, 2002

Yes. It's also my birthday.

And my sister's. And Nick Drake's.

While we're imparting essential information.
posted by Grangousier at 2:11 PM on June 19, 2002

And even a religious holiday in certain not so well known christian denominations.
posted by Apoch at 2:36 PM on June 19, 2002

Apoch - which ones?

I think you'd have to give us 4 or 5 holidays and then 3 weeks of vacation and 15 hours less each week to get us near to Europeans.
posted by goneill at 2:42 PM on June 19, 2002

This one, and pretty much any other denomination based off of the writings of Emmanuel Swedenborg.
posted by Apoch at 3:23 PM on June 19, 2002

No, because instead of rememberance it will degenerate into standard issue grilling and beer drinking (we've got enough days for that).
posted by owillis at 3:25 PM on June 19, 2002

as if us lazy americans need ANOTHER excuse not to go to work ...

Tell you what, I'll give you a few of my workdays every year since you feel shortchanged. And in exchange, I'll accept a few of your holidays. :)
posted by rushmc at 7:18 PM on June 19, 2002

It's Blaise Pascal's birthday, too. He wrote, among many things,

The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of.

While we're imparting essential information.
posted by y2karl at 9:08 PM on June 19, 2002

Yes. It's the oldest holiday celebrating emancipation, and it's recognized around the world. To officially recognize in the US would be great.
posted by fletcher at 9:17 PM on June 19, 2002

Probably a more meaningful holiday than our own Independence Day. I say make it a week-long holiday, during which perhaps we might ponder some of the ways oppression continues...and what we might do about it.

The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of.

Magnificent. Thanks.
posted by fold_and_mutilate at 10:02 PM on June 19, 2002

No, because instead of rememberance it will degenerate into standard issue grilling and beer drinking (we've got enough days for that).

Let me see, I currently have 9 holidays off, 15 elective vacation days and 6 personal days. That's only 30 days plus weekends for grilling and beer - I think I can spare a few more...
posted by RevGreg at 4:07 AM on June 20, 2002