The revitalization of the Black Lives Matter movement has brought greater attention to Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery.
History lesson: Nearly two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and months after the Civil War ended, thousands of slaves in Texas weren't aware they were free until Union Gen. Gordon Granger issued an order on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas.
The state of play: Juneteenth is not recognized as a federal holiday, but 47 states and the District of Columbia formally commemorate the date, according to the Congressional Research Service.
- Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announced Thursday they've introduced legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday in the Senate.
- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) has introduced a resolution every year asking the House to recognize the historical significance of Juneteenth. This year, there are more than 200 co-sponsors.
What they're saying: “Juneteenth legislation is a call for freedom, but it also reinforces the history of African Americans. We’ve fought for this country. We’ve made great strides, but we’re still the victims of sharp disparities," Lee told Time magazine.
Worth noting: It took nearly 20 years for MLK Day to be recognized as a national holiday. Rep. John Conyers first introduced the bill in 1968, four days after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. President Ronald Reagan then signed the bill in 1986.
Yes, but: Since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, and the protests that erupted after, states are scrambling to follow Texas and...