A Cry For Freedom: the Meaning of Juneteenth

by Anna Danso-Amoako

Ahmaud Arbery, Breeona Taylor, George Floyd 

It is almost impossible to avoid the cries of protest from the news across the world. They are in part due to the unjust killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Taylor was killed in her own house after being shot by police acting under a 'no-knock' warrant. Ahmaud was killed by armed citizens under the suspicion that he resembled a suspect of a series of burglaries in the area he was jogging in. For 8 minutes and 46 seconds George Floyd’s life was callously taken away by a police officer in response to a call that Floyd had a counterfeit note. George Floyd’s last words now echo throughout the protests and actions of many others calling for justice to ensure his voice and the voice of other African-American victims of police brutality and systematic oppression don’t continue to be so flagrantly ignored:

“I can’t breathe!”

But their deaths are not isolated events. Brutality towards African-Americans is not a new phenomenon, especially in the policing system. In fact, the now-well-known Black Lives Matter movement, a movement that has gained more traction in the past weeks, was created in response to the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012.

After returning from a store Martin was seen by a member of the community’s neighbourhood watch, George Zimmerman, who later called a non-emergency police line to report his sighting of a “suspicious male”. Despite being told by the dispatcher  to not follow Martin, Zimmerman persisted. Before police could even arrive at the scene, Trayvon Martin was shot and killed, aged 17, at close range by Zimmerman. Due to the fact that there were no eyewitnesses, Zimmerman was not arrested stating that he acted in self-defence. Following public attention including a petition on Change.org to have Zimmerman arrested he was charged with murder six weeks after the shooting.

The conclusion of his trial? On July 13th George Zimmerman was acquitted both of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges.

During this period, Black Lives Matter was spread as a hashtag, campaigning for justice to be served and Zimmerman to be charged; however, the movement became more visible following the murders of Eric Garner and Michael Brown. I’d like to highlight in particular the murder of Eric Garner, killed by police officers on the suspicion of selling single cigarettes without the proper tax stamps. His death was brutal - the police put him in a chokehold position as he urged them to stop. His last words were, “I can’t breathe.”

The same words, six years apart.

However, the response to the death of George Floyd in May 2020 has created not just a global condemnation of the police but also a call to all that the plight of the black community as a historically oppressed race is finally heard. From celebrities to corporations, many are utilising their platforms to spread awareness; however, education is something that must continue to remain even after the protests die down. It is imperative that in order to truly understand the scale of oppression in our society we are fully informed of our history. I understand that this is not an easy conversation; however, when whole groups of society continue to experience discrimination in such a violent manner, this is a conversation that must happen.

One part of this is honouring the past. I’d like to mention a holiday recognised by the black community: Juneteenth - a portmanteau of June and nineteenth. Celebrated annually, it marks the news of Emancipation reaching Texas on 19 June, 1865, finally allowing enslaved Americans freedom. This was over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was first issued by President Lincoln in which he had stated that all enslaved people were freed. For the 250,000 enslaved members of Texas, however, freedom was actually discouraged; General Gordon Granger's announcement encouraged "The freedmen" to "remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages.” Indeed, some African-Americans were lynched or killed in their attempt to leave, while others had their enslavement continued by slave masters who wanted to have them work onwards into the harvest season. It took until 1872 for $800 to be raised by former slaves to purchase land in Houston. Now known as Emancipation Park, it provided a communal space for the commemoration of Juneteeth and was also the only public park and swimming pool available to the black community until 1950. To this day, celebrations are still held to mark the day and are still thriving after a recent investment.

This year, as in many other years, the idea of freedom will be questioned by the African-American community. Whilst America has moved forward from the extreme, overt racism  of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, it is undeniable that oppression is very much alive today, not just in the USA but across the globe. Even today, Juneteenth is not recognised as a federal holiday in America.

I would like to end by saying I hope that this year, on June 19th, the voices of the freed are remembered and celebrated, the voices of the protesters calling are heard and the voices of those whose lives were tragically cut short are never forgotten. They are more than just the face of the current protests.They all had family and friends who loved them, hopes and aspirations that they dreamed to fulfill.

Their lives mattered.

George Floyd - October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020

Breonna Taylor - June 5, 1993 – March 13, 2020

Ahmaud Arbery - May 8,1994  – February 23, 2020

Trayvon Martin - 5 February 1995 – 26 February 2012

Eric Garner - September 15, 1970 – July 17, 2014

Michael Brown - May 20, 1996 – August 9, 2014