Federal Holiday & Earsure of Critical Race Theory

We barely have a full chapter on Black History in public school books, now with this new educational ban on Critical Race Theory in (secondary) classrooms students are now being barred from the truth of American History, and it’s both grim and tragic. Critical thinking and discovering holistic truths is one of the foundations of having a well-informed educational experience for a child. Masquerading censorship as protection for young minds is just a new PR tactic to gloss over slavery and cover up the racially systemic history in America. Recently, the Texas Governor has signed a bill nearly banning the teaching of “critical race theory” in K-12 public schools. Critical Race Theory (CRT) is the examination of race as a social construct and how it has affected our governmental policies, laws etc. and have systematically affected people of color in this country.

As if the public education curriculum and books weren’t already limited in presenting the full history/knowledge that highlights the contribution of black and brown leaders in American history. CRT is even being attacked in the college sphere, which is crazy now because it's a class you have to pay for or elect to take the class but has some students complaining that it is teaching or spreading “white-blame” or “white-guilt” for the actions of their ancestors. History is already written, so it is our job to examine and work to abolish oppressive systems that are still affecting many people today. Continuing this rhetoric of ignorance for privilege groups must be dissolved because the reality of the people who have suffered and are suffering cannot be erased. Where are our lands, businesses, and family members, culture/religions that have been taken from us over and over again? Most of these items will never be returned in this lifetime, but for now we can teach our peers this history and expose those who try to silence a truly intellectual dive into racism and American history.

Juneteenth is now a holiday. “Thanks for the reparations, said no one.” What was really needed was a solution to the issues that are affecting African Americans everyday instead we get a federal holiday that everyone benefits from, a day off. The history of Juneteenth, where the southern slave owners (Texas), didn't notify their enslaved workers of their freedom for nearly 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation which was just a war strategy on Lincoln's part to destabilize the South and have them return to the Union. This government tactic stands true today, certain parts of history are only recognized when economically or publicly benefinancial to pacify the protesting voices of its citizens. These symbolic acknowledgements and statutes will never resolve the real issues of the racial wealth gap, police brutality, and healthcare access that affects so many Black and Brown communities, we will never be free if we are gaslit to think these symbols/diversity quotes/inadvertent admissions of slavery will help Americans. If this could be signed into law as a holiday so fast, we could have gotten another stimulus check or some more student loan cancellations for minority undergraduate and graduate students. Stop fake acknowledging the past and do something for our future.

Happy Juneteenth y’all. Stay bold, gifted, & Black.

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