Last Updated on June 17, 2021
This afternoon Joe Biden officially signed legislation making June 19 a federal holiday, known as Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of African American slaves during the 19th century. However, a large number of influential black and liberal Twitter accounts say that white people should not get the day off work, and should refrain from celebrating it altogether.
As National File reported, the bill sailed through the U.S. House with only 14 Republicans – including Reps. Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, Thomas Massie, and Mo Brooks – opposing the legislation, and with key pro-Trump Republicans Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz voting with Republican leadership and the Democrats. Now, Biden has officially signed the bill into law. However, some do not want white people to participate in the new federal holiday. Many users took to Twitter to write some variation of “white people having a day off for Juneteenth… Makes me angry…”:
… white people having a day off for Juneteenth…. Makes me angry…
— Scottie (@ScottieBeam) June 16, 2021
I just saw that Juneteenth bill really passed through Congress, realized that means white people will be off on that day and now I’m ready to burn some shit. pic.twitter.com/OB59dbrnSu
— ashley yates (@brownblaze) June 17, 2021
White people getting paid time off on Juneteenth dont sit right with me pic.twitter.com/wNGjmYoHoi
— Alan Massenburg (@AlanMassenburg) June 16, 2021
The problem with Juneteenth being a federal holiday isn’t that white people will have the day off, it’s that Black working peoples will still be at work.
Federal holidays should be mandatory for all workers.
— @/ayoajb (@ayoajb) June 16, 2021
https://twitter.com/afrosypaella/status/1405542486743736322
the idea of white people not having to work on juneteenth doesn’t sit right with my negro spirit. if anything y’all need to work more. pic.twitter.com/3VJHXSoXbu
— bri (@brnb__) June 16, 2021
https://twitter.com/BlackSupremeKai/status/1405034671566688262
What was the purpose of making Juneteenth a national holiday? White people don't deserve Juneteenth off. Black people should be off. And compensated on that day. Pay our rent. Let us out of prison. A national holiday literally means nothing.
— simi (@simimoonlight) June 16, 2021
Many other users expect white people to celebrate the day in a way which is insensitive to black people:
These white people bout to do Juneteenth like Cinco de Mayo. Showing up to the bar in dashikis n shit.
— Action Hank (@_BushidoB_) June 15, 2021
https://twitter.com/Getoffofmy_Nico/status/1405616063954489349
They’re going to say Juneteenth is when white people set us free & it was a long, long time ago so there’s no connection b/w slavery and so-called… *whisper*
✌️systemic racism✌️ https://t.co/Jr15STcOMY— COLONIALISM IS FALLING, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE (@BreeNewsome) June 17, 2021
white people wishing Black people happy Juneteenth is gonna result in some worldstar swinging
— shameika said i had potential ♿ (@RabbitRichards) June 17, 2021
https://twitter.com/domiono/status/1404980400217366528
It remains unclear if white people will celebrate the new federal holiday in large numbers. The date was almost completely unknown outside specific racial and political circles until last year, when President Donald Trump planned a rally on the now-sacred date, and was castigated by the media as a result. However, mass numbers of white people receiving the day off work in 2021 seems unlikely, as June 19 happens to fall on a Saturday.
MOMENTS AGO: President Joe Biden signs a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. https://t.co/VlT7z8drtO pic.twitter.com/NQanON0Vnr
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) June 17, 2021
