Juneteenth: commemorating The end of slavery in the united STATES will be held between protests | International

Juneteenth it is one of the oldest festivals in the united States. On June 19, it commemorates the date that the last enslaved african americans of Galveston (Texas) learned that they were free in 1865, two years after the Emancipation proclamation of president Abraham Lincoln. In general, black communities gather to pray, listen to stories of their ancestors and drink the strawberry juice, symbolizing the blood shed. But this Friday, the atmosphere is not festive. In the middle of the pandemic coronavirusthat has been incensed with the americans, and after weeks of massive protests racial against police violence, it is expected that more than 275 events taking place this weekend at the cry of “the lives of black people matter”. Several companies have provided free this Friday to its employees following the date.

The Juneteenth -which, in English, mixing the word June 19 – is not a public holiday national, although 45 States and the District of Columbia recognize this. The death of the african-american George Floyd on the 25th of may in Minneapolis has re-opened the wound of racism in the united STATES and has served as a prelude to this celebration, for which we expect large demonstrations from coast to coast, including Washington and Atlanta, “the mecca of black” of the country.

The companies have also faced the date a different way than usual. Nike, the NFL and Twitter, among others, have announced that they will be awarded a free day paid to its employees, not necessarily this Friday. In a more symbolic, General Motors will stop its production lines in the U.S. and will keep silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time that Floyd endured the knee of the police officer Derek Chauvin stuck in his neck.

According to the president told Donald Trump a few days ago in an interview to The Wall Street Journalhe made famous the Juneteenth. The president announced last week that this Friday would go back to making campaign, with a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to the criticism that came by returning to the acts of mass in the midst of a pandemic that has caused more than 110,000 deaths in the country, where it is not controlled the curve, it also received criticisms for choosing the 19 of June to do so. After talking with advisors for african americans, he told the president, decided to postpone the date for Saturday, 20. “I did something good: I made it to Juneteenth’s very famous,” said Trump to the american newspaper. “In reality it is an important event, an important moment. But no one had heard of it,” he added.

The city that chose the contractor for his return has also generated suspicions for the time being sensitive to the lives of african-american community. In 1921, Tulsa experienced one of the worst episodes of racist violence of the TWENTIETH century in the united States. A mob of white attacked the 35 blocks of the district known as Black Wall Street, where several black families had successful businesses, destroyed more than 1,200 homes and killed about 300 people. This Friday, it is expected that the reverend Al Sharptonfamous for his civil rights advocacy, and Tiffany Crutcher, sister of the african american killed at the hands of the police in this city in 2016, will offer a talk on the consequences of racial discrimination in the Black Wall Street.

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