Celebrating freedom for all

Harriet Tubman said, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” Tubman's work helped free hundreds of slaves before the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. However, the residents of Texas wouldn't experience the dream of freedom until two years later on June 18, 1865.

On that summer day, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas along with 1,800 Union soldiers to deliver a powerful message to the citizens of Texas: slavery was at an end. For many this was the first time hearing about the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued two and a half years prior. The now-freed former slaves marched down the road singing and shouting, proclaiming their freedom to the world. They wasted no time leaving the shackles of their oppressors and finding somewhere to practice their freedom, which hours before had been just a dream.

A year later, a new holiday called Juneteenth — formed from the words June and nineteenth — was born and quickly spread across Texas, and during the late 19th century across the rest of the confederacy and the north. Over the years it was celebrated less and less until reappearing in the 1980s and gaining more popularity through the years.

What many don't understand is that Juneteenth

should not be celebrated as purely an “African American holiday.” This view diminishes the significance of Juneteenth not only for African Americans but for all the citizens of our great nation. This is an American holiday where individuals from every race and culture can come together and celebrate the end of slavery and the promise of freedom for all.

Here in Oklahoma, I am proud to stand with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and the Dunbar Heights Community as we bridge racial and cultural divides and come together with one purpose: to celebrate where we have come from and expand the freedoms we have experienced through educational and economic empowerment to those who are still disenfranchised.

As Tubman told us, we must have the strength, patience and passion to change our world. We are the dreamers. We have been blessed to live in the United States of America where, because of the sacrifice of those who have come before us, we have the ability to dream and be as free and successful as we choose to be. The greatest accomplishments are achieved when we celebrate the things that unite rather than divide. This Juneteenth, share your celebration with the world, educate friends and neighbors about the importance of the holiday and practice your freedoms to ensure them for future generations.