Many Americans are confused about the significance of our country’s 11th national holiday, Juneteenth, perceiving it to be a holiday only for Black Americans. Juneteenth, which was made a federal holiday in 2021, actually celebrates the best decision America ever made, which was to free enslaved people on American soil. America as we know it today would simply not exist without that decision.
The decision to end slavery ultimately had the profound impact of making America the strongest country in the world, socially and economically. From a social perspective, participating in an institution such as slavery, which is immoral, coldblooded, and brutal, destroys the humanity of both those who enslave and the enslaved. By shedding ourselves of this monstrosity, America paved the way for its core values to guide us to become the greatest country in the world. Our core values that all people are created equal, with the unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, have become more of a reality. This decision provided the credibility for America to become a role model for democracy for the rest of the world.
