- Juneteenth, held annually on June 19, commemorates the day slavery ended in the US and is celebrated by many Black Americans as a day of independence.
- Some states and companies already acknowledge it as a holiday.
- Now, celebrities including Taylor Swift, Usher, and Lupita Nyong’o are calling for the day to be recognized as a national holiday.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Taylor Swift tweeted that she’s giving all of her employees Juneteenth off from now on, and shared a video advocating for the day to be a national holiday.
The singer also tweeted that she would keep educating herself “on the history that brought us to this present moment.”
Happy Juneteenth! I want to thank @TheRoot and @RhapsoDani for allowing me to post this video about the significance of today, June 19th, and why it should be celebrated as a National holiday. https://t.co/7yjwh4Lddg
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 19, 2020
Usher wrote an op-ed saying that making the day a national holiday “can remind us of our journey toward freedom, and the work America still has to do.”
“The liberation Juneteenth commemorates is cause for celebration, but it also reminds us how equality can be delayed,” the musician, actor, and entrepreneur wrote in the Washington Post
"My heart is shattered by the ongoing injustices in this country, incited by its long history of racism that has led to deadly outcomes for too many of our people," he wrote. "This country must change."
He said the day could be observed by celebrating both Black Americans' first "first step toward freedom" and their contributions to society, ranging from Black Wall Street to music to excellence in sports.
Actress Lupita Nyong'o wrote on Instagram that national Juneteenth recognition "would be one more way of acknowledging the intrinsic value of Black people and their history to the wealth and prosperity of the USA."
The "Us" actress shared a photo of Opal Lee, calling the 93-year-old the "force behind the movement to make #Juneteenth a national holiday."
Nyong'o also encouraged followers to sign a Change.org petition to support Lee's fight.
http://instagr.am/p/CBnfIhcpt05
Actor George Takei wrote on Twitter that "#Juneteenth should be a paid national holiday. Raise your hand if you agree, and pass it along."
Takei is best known for his role in "Star Trek" and his advocacy for the LGBTQ community and Japanese Americans.
#Juneteenth should be a paid national holiday. Raise your hand if you agree, and pass it along. pic.twitter.com/fAS33W5t4C
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) June 19, 2020
Actor Chris Evans shared an article that said Juneteenth should be nationally celebrated along with the comment, "As it should be."
Evans shared the HuffPost article "Congress Could Make Juneteenth A National Holiday," which outlined Texas congress member Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's legislation that aims to do just that.
https://twitter.com/ChrisEvans/status/1273971663315574785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Mindy Kaling shared Evans' tweet with an additional comment: "I can't imagine a better major federal holiday."
Kaling also referred to Juneteenth as a "celebration" and "memorial."
https://twitter.com/mindykaling/status/1274004452001734657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Tom Hanks wrote on Instagram that Juneteenth is "a day to celebrate nationally."
The Oscar winner shared his message next to a picture noting that Juneteenth is "when America became a more perfect Union," meaning "all men are created equal."
http://instagr.am/p/CBni98Epz2S
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