Juneteenth

ShatterAlan

Is this the most idiotic name for a holiday?


JUNETEENTH.


Celebrate the day that blacks were liberated but don't give it some inane label like "juneteenth".


It's as bad as "freedom fries" or "brangelina".


Juneteenth??


Call it a proper day like "Freedom from slavery day", or "anti-scumbag day"

dxhound2005

I never heard it before, and it does jar with me probably for that reason. But I read that it goes back to the 1890's, so it has stood the test of time.

Gregor Samsa

No more or less idiotic a name than Halloween, Whit Sunday or Shrove Tuesday. These things all have an origin, but we just accept them as names now even thorough they don't make literal sense any more. Juneteenth might seem odd to us, since it's the first time people outside the US are hearing it, but if you've grown up with the name being used, I'm sure you wouldn't give it much thought.

I actually like it when things have a folk history to them. "Freedom from slavery day" would be such a boring, literal name. We have too much of that in Ireland already: "The May bank holiday", "the June bank holiday", " the August bank holiday", "the October bank holiday". The only good or interesting thing about those names are that they're not actually "bank holidays".

sprucemoose

it was one of the best episodes of atlanta imo

Irish_wolf

It's probably because Americans usually say dates like May 4th rather than the 4th of May. So the 19th of June is said as June nineteenth which doesnt exactly roll off the tongue hence the contraction. I've no issues with the name but it's definitely a weird thing to celebrate when black people in America still face massive social and economic hardships.

Fr Tod Umptious

Irish_wolf wrote: »

It's probably because Americans usually say dates like May 4th rather than the 4th of May. So the 19th of June is said as June nineteenth which doesnt exactly roll off the tongue hence the contraction. I've no issues with the name but it's definitely a weird thing to celebrate when black people in America still face massive social and economic hardships.

There is a big difference between massive social and economic hardship and being owned by another human being.

A lot of races in America face massive social and economic hardship, but other than African Americans none are the descendants of people that were slaves less than 200 years ago.

They deserve the holiday to celebrate the end of slavery.

It's so strange that nobody had heard of Juneteenth until last year and all of a sudden it's a public holiday. It's almost like the way Black Friday crept over to these shores a couple of years ago and now it seems to taken as read.

Montage of Feck

We we ready have black Friday? The Yanks can keep their holidays.

alroley

Just say you're racist and move on, OP.

Gregor Samsa

The official name in the legislation is "Juneteenth National Independence Day", which Republican Representative Thomas Massie objected to on the grounds that it would “create confusion” with Independence Day on the fourth of July.

As if Americans will ever forget the significance of the day they defeated the aliens.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

It's so strange that nobody had heard of Juneteenth until last year and all of a sudden it's a public holiday. It's almost like the way Black Friday crept over to these shores a couple of years ago and now it seems to taken as read.

I get what you're saying - do they really need two holidays?

artanevilla

You don't have to call it anything OP, like you don't have to celebrate La Befana or any other foreign holiday.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's so strange that nobody had heard of Juneteenth until last year and all of a sudden it's a public holiday. It's almost like the way Black Friday crept over to these shores a couple of years ago and now it seems to taken as read.

From Wikipedia

"Celebrations date to 1866, at first involving church-centered community gatherings in Texas. It spread across the South and became more commercialized in the 1920s and 1930s, often centering on a food festival. Participants in the Great Migration out of the South carried their celebrations to other parts of the country. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, these celebrations were eclipsed by the struggle for postwar civil rights, but grew in popularity again in the 1970s with a focus on African-American freedom and African-American arts. As of 2021, North Dakota and South Dakota are the only states that do not recognize Juneteenth, according to the Congressional Research Service...
Texas was the first state to recognize the date, in 1980. By 2002, eight states officially recognized Juneteenth[90] and four years later 15 states recognized the holiday.[34] By 2008, nearly half of states observed the holiday as a ceremonial observance.[91] By 2019, 47 states and the District of Columbia recognized Juneteenth,[92] although only one state (Texas) has adopted the holiday as a paid holiday for state employees."

And, after all that, it's now a federal holiday.

NSAman

So another federal and some state holiday.

What does it mean to average workers? Nada it’s still a work day, only federal workers and banks get it off….

Gregor Samsa

Deleted User wrote: »

It's so strange that nobody had heard of Juneteenth until last year and all of a sudden it's a public holiday..

It was already a state holiday of some kind of observance in 48 states, plus Washington DC. I'ts been officially recognised in Texas since 1980.

But as mentioned by NSAman above, the US doesn't really have the concept of "Public Holidays" the way we do. Federal and State employees aside, it's up to individual companies to decide whether to give their workers any given day off or not.

Fr Tod Umptious

Are people also aware that there is a celebration called Kwanzaa which is essentially "black Christmas".

It originated in 1966 are part of the Black Power movement and was a reaction to Christmas being too white.

It runs from Dec 26th to Jan 1st.

I wonder how long it will take that to become a federal holiday, because right now Dec 26th (Stephen Day/ Boxing Day) is not a day off in America.

Yakov P. Golyadkin

Yakov P. Golyadkin wrote: »

From Wikipedia

"Celebrations date to 1866, at first involving church-centered community gatherings in Texas. It spread across the South and became more commercialized in the 1920s and 1930s, often centering on a food festival. Participants in the Great Migration out of the South carried their celebrations to other parts of the country. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, these celebrations were eclipsed by the struggle for postwar civil rights, but grew in popularity again in the 1970s with a focus on African-American freedom and African-American arts. As of 2021, North Dakota and South Dakota are the only states that do not recognize Juneteenth, according to the Congressional Research Service...
Texas was the first state to recognize the date, in 1980. By 2002, eight states officially recognized Juneteenth[90] and four years later 15 states recognized the holiday.[34] By 2008, nearly half of states observed the holiday as a ceremonial observance.[91] By 2019, 47 states and the District of Columbia recognized Juneteenth,[92] although only one state (Texas) has adopted the holiday as a paid holiday for state employees."

And, after all that, it's now a federal holiday.

I think you missed my point. I'm not saying it's new or has no history. I'm saying most American people, of all races, had never heard of it until last year after Mister Floyd got killed.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

It's so strange that nobody had I hadn't heard of Juneteenth until last year and all of a sudden it's a public holiday. It's almost like the way Black Friday crept over to these shores a couple of years ago and now it seems to taken as read.

Corrected your post.

Fr Tod Umptious

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

It was already a state holiday of some kind of observance in 48 states, plus Washington DC. I'ts been officially recognised in Texas since 1980.

But as mentioned by NSAman above, the US doesn't really have the concept of "Public Holidays" the way we do. Federal and State employees aside, it's up to individual companies to decide whether to give their workers any given day off or not.

Most companies take the main federal holidays off.
New Year's Day, MLK's birthday, President's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day.

Other then also take Veteran's Day (11th Nov) off.
Financial companies take Good Friday off and the day after Thanksgiving off as the Stock Exchange is closed those days.

I think Federal employees also get Columbus Day (a Monday in October) off but regular companies don't tend to take it off.

Then you have numerous different state and city holidays that state or city employees get off.
For example Patriots day (a Monday in April) is a state holiday in Massachusetts and Maine (I believe) so state employees get that day off .

March 17th is a city holiday in Boston, so city employees get the day off.
By the way that's Evacuation Day, the day in the Revolutionary War that the British left Boston.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Corrected your post.

OK so this is one of those things where everyone is going to pretend like they'd heard of this for years and years and also pretend like this has always been a HUGE deal. I find mass delusion to be so intriguing.

Gregor Samsa

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Most companies take the main federal holidays off.

Yeah, but that's my point, it's up to the companies (unlike what we're use to here). Many do, but they don't have to.

I work for an American company - they don't take President's Day off, for instance. But they do take most of the rest of them off, and our CEO just announced last night that in future MLK day would be a company-wide holiday (for all global offices, not just the US). As it's come and gone this year already, they're giving us all a day off in July instead.

Ours is an eCommerce company. Not only is it the case that Thanksgiving and the day after (Black Friday) aren't days off, but even taking annual leave those days is pretty much banned, as that whole weekend, including "Cyber Monday" (and indeed the week before) is the very busiest of the entire year (in terms of orders/revenue). There's no concept of "well, take a different day in lieu". There's a calendar published each year of the "holidays" the US offices are closed, and that's that. It can change from year to year, although it's been pretty stable the past 5 years or so. Before that, there was some uncertainty and random "floating hoidays" that could get thrown in anywhere.

Jim2007

Deleted User wrote: »

I get what you're saying - do they really need two holidays?

The same answer as to combining St. Patrick’s day the 12th in NI….

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

OK so this is one of those things where everyone is going to pretend like they'd heard of this for years and years and also pretend like this has always been a HUGE deal. I find mass delusion to be so intriguing.

Who said it was a HUGE deal? More hyperbolic nonsense from you.

You said nobody had heard of it. It's OK if you hadn't heard of it but trying to speak on behalf of everyone isn't going to lend your point any more credence.

branie2

Great idea

Rket4000

[Deleted User] wrote: »

OK so this is one of those things where everyone is going to pretend like they'd heard of this for years and years and also pretend like this has always been a HUGE deal. I find mass delusion to be so intriguing.

I don't have to pretend.. I'd heard it before over the last two or three years.. Mostly because I follow several US based twitter accounts. I would never assume that just because I never heard of something that no one else had heard of it either.

machiavellianme

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

The official name in the legislation is "Juneteenth National Independence Day", which Republican Representative Thomas Massie objected to on the grounds that it would “create confusion” with Independence Day on the fourth of July.

As if Americans will ever forget the significance of the day they defeated the aliens.

They didn't defeat them, fairly sure they came back for more. No idea what happened after that though.

Montage of Feck

^^^
Jeff Goldblum invented a molecular transporter and saved the day.

Didn't hear of it until last year. Seems a very worthy anniversary to mark. I don't think the OP is racist (a term that can be used as a descriptor based on very little evidence) but I don't understand taking issue to a degree with the name. Not of concern imo. It's just a bit of (albeit not very effective) wordplay.

spurious

Amazed the end of slavery was not already celebrated/commemorated, but 'Juneteenth'? It sounds terrible. Not an appropriate name for such a serious commemoration, I think.

Bobblehats

Nineteenth?

..of June. 19th of June.

Akrasia

Forget June 19th. There should be a public holiday on July 19th. The day the ice age ended

Akrasia

spurious wrote: »

Amazed the end of slavery was not already celebrated/commemorated, but 'Juneteenth'? It sounds terrible. Not an appropriate name for such a serious commemoration, I think.

Good Friday should be reassigned to June 19th

For Forks Sake

Akrasia wrote: »

Forget June 19th. There should be a public holiday on July 19th. The day the ice age ended

Not to mention Galway being liberated from Indians.

BeerWolf

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Are people also aware that there is a celebration called Kwanzaa which is essentially "black Christmas".

It originated in 1966 are part of the Black Power movement and was a reaction to Christmas being too white.

It runs from Dec 26th to Jan 1st.

I wonder how long it will take that to become a federal holiday, because right now Dec 26th (Stephen Day/ Boxing Day) is not a day off in America.

Kwanzaa? Futurama thought me that!

Gwynplaine

What about the poor native Americans? They got an absolute grueller.

dxhound2005

spurious wrote: »

Amazed the end of slavery was not already celebrated/commemorated, but 'Juneteenth'? It sounds terrible. Not an appropriate name for such a serious commemoration, I think.

That's like saying Brexit is inappropriate to describe such a serious subject as the British Exit from the European Union, because it sounds terrible. If Juneteenth gains currency it will become totally unremarkable.

spurious

spurious wrote: »

Amazed the end of slavery was not already celebrated/commemorated, but 'Juneteenth'? It sounds terrible. Not an appropriate name for such a serious commemoration, I think.

I think maybe it's best to let those who have the most to celebrate on the day to decide the name.

KaneToad

Montage of Feck wrote: »

We we ready have black Friday? The Yanks can keep their holidays.

I dunno. I'd take an extra public holiday at the drop of a hat. Don't give 2 you know what's as to the reason/name of it.

Guy:Incognito

dxhound2005 wrote: »

That's like saying Brexit is inappropriate to describe such a serious subject as the British Exit from the European Union, because it sounds terrible. .

Its also not correct seeing as the whole of the UK left, not just Britain.

But then, they dont care much for the north at the best of times anyway.......

I hope they use this day to pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of white soldiers who died trying to end slavery, in the Civil War. Rather than using it as yet another excuse to bash all white people.

ulster

ShatterAlan wrote: »

Is this the most idiotic name for a holiday?


JUNETEENTH.


Celebrate the day that blacks were liberated but don't give it some inane label like "juneteenth".


It's as bad as "freedom fries" or "brangelina".


Juneteenth??


Call it a proper day like "Freedom from slavery day", or "anti-scumbag day"

Are you American, or living in America or something?

Gregor Samsa

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I hope they use this day to pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of white soldiers who died trying to end slavery, in the Civil War.

That’s what Memorial Day was originally for, and is still an element of.

Gregor Samsa

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

That’s what Memorial Day was originally for, and is still an element of.

Fair enough. Still think it bears repeating that white Americans, including thousands of Irish emigrants, suffered and died fighting to end slavery. It gets forgotten a lot.

Potential-Monke

Stupid name. That is all.

cj maxx

ShatterAlan wrote: »

Is this the most idiotic name for a holiday?


JUNETEENTH.


Celebrate the day that blacks were liberated but don't give it some inane label like "juneteenth".


It's as bad as "freedom fries" or "brangelina".


Juneteenth??


Call it a proper day like "Freedom from slavery day", or "anti-scumbag day"

I prefer Juneteenth

pappyodaniel

Juneteenth.....is that the day Marathon became Snickers?

NSAman

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Juneteenth.....is that the day Marathon became Snickers?

And Mars became snunderpants….