Why Isn’t Juneteenth a Town Holiday?

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Dear Editor,

Juneteenth is both a state and federal holiday. Under the current Republican-led Board of Selectpersons (BOS), a recent union contract within the Town did not include addition of a Juneteenth holiday. Juneteenth is important because it recognizes the ongoing battle for civil rights and justice.

The Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863, but the end of slavery did not arrive in certain areas of the country that were under control of the Confederacy and resisted the law, notably in western Texas. It was not until June 19, 1865, under the force of 2,000 Union troops, that these final 250,000 enslaved black people were freed. Later that year, the 13th Amendment was enacted prohibiting slavery.

Juneteenth is symbolic of our nation embracing social justice changes, and reminds us all of our ongoing evolution into a more perfect union. July 4 celebrates freedom, but Juneteenth celebrates freedom, social justice, hope and the unmatched resilience of African Americans.

The current BOS have been acting in ways that restrict freedoms of Suffield citizens, including anti-Juneteenth and anti-LGBTQIA+ actions and attempting a highly onerous Town Green policy that drew national criticism for its backward-thinking.

We need leaders who aspire to serve and bring us closer to the higher ideals of fairness, inclusivity and justice. Do we need intervention from the state of Connecticut to force changes our BOS continue to resist?

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