There is a significant division emerging in our country—a growing trend among black Americans to celebrate Juneteenth instead of the Fourth of July. In our increasingly polarized society, many seem to have forgotten that it is possible to celebrate both holidays as proud Americans. Unfortunately, some elected officials have used their platforms to encourage disunity. In July 2021, Rep. Maxine Waters claimed that the Declaration of Independence was only meant for white men. That same year, Rep. Cori Bush advocated for Juneteenth to replace the Fourth of July. What both politicians fail to grasp is that Juneteenth would not exist without the Declaration of Independence. Additionally, there would be no Juneteenth without the sacrifice of 350,000 white men from non-slave-holding states of the Union Army who died in the Civil War, paving the way for the Emancipation Proclamation.
Certain organizations are using both holidays to further divide our nation by perpetuating the idea that America is fundamentally broken due to systemic racism. This approach benefits no one, regardless of race. A Gallup survey conducted in 2002, which included African American respondents, found that 70% agreed that race relations in the US were relatively good. It’s important to note that this survey took place before the election of our first black president in 2008. However, roughly a decade after President Barack Obama’s re-election, both black and white Americans felt that race relations had worsened significantly, with a decline of 20+ points in both demographics’ perspectives.
During this period, there were no notable policy changes, regulations, or laws that made it harder for black Americans to pursue higher education, buy homes, or obtain certain jobs. So, what changed? Interestingly, it was the beginning of a pervasive narrative that painted police officers as targeting black men. Harvard economics professor Roland Fryer conducted a study on officer shootings, expecting to find evidence of racial bias. Surprisingly, his findings and the research of other academics demonstrated that there was no racial bias when it came to officers shooting suspects; in fact, black suspects were less likely to be shot than other suspects.
Concurrently, patriotism in America has been on the decline. A March 2023 Wall Street Journal/NORC poll revealed that the percentage of Americans who felt patriotic towards the US fell from 70% in 1998 to 38% in 2023. The cause of this decline can be attributed to the education system, which focuses on America’s shortcomings rather than its accomplishments. A recent national survey discovered that only 19% of Americans under the age of 45 could pass the US citizenship test, whereas 75% of those aged 65 and older could pass it.
Though I acknowledge America’s history in its entirety—the good, the bad, and the ugly—I am aware that it took a hundred years after President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination for black Americans, including my parents, to experience complete freedom. Nevertheless, there are millions today who know very little about the countless Americans, regardless of race or social status, who supported newly emancipated slaves in becoming productive citizens despite the existence of racist detractors. Figures like Julius Rosenwald, CEO of Sears & Roebuck, who collaborated with Booker T. Washington in the early 1900s to build 5,000 elementary schools in the southern states.
The irony in this growing divide is that leaders from academia, the media, and the entertainment industry often denounce such philanthropists as racists or white supremacists. Meanwhile, state lawmakers, government bureaucrats, and teachers’ union officials erect barriers that hinder poor and minority children’s access to successful private and charter schools.
If some argue that the sacrifices made during the Civil War era and subsequent Reconstruction are ancient history, I offer a more recent example of America’s greatness. I am referring to the decades of funding from predominantly white Christian and Catholic foundations that have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into private and charter schools for predominantly black and Latino youth in inner cities. As Carl Campanile recently reported, charter schools in the US consistently outperform traditional public schools, particularly in urban areas like New York City.
As someone who attended Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Harlem decades ago, I can confidently say that the narrative of two separate Americas, with two national anthems and two national holidays, is not only false but also dangerous. In the words of prominent author, professor, and former Pastor Voddie Baucham, “black Americans are the freest and most prosperous black people in the world.” Unfortunately, many among us choose to ignore this fact and the historical facts that brought us to this point. So, let us celebrate Juneteenth, but let us remember that it all began with July 4th.
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