So You Decided to Make Juneteenth a Paid-Holiday… What Now?

In recent weeks, we’ve seen a flurry of conversation around Juneteenth from companies looking to meaningfully recognize its importance.

If you are unfamiliar, Juneteenth - or Freedom Day - is the anniversary of when the last enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom in 1865 (2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation). While this day has long been celebrated in Black American communities around the country, it still isn’t recognized at a national level. The corporate push we are seeing is part of a broader call-to-action for the federal government to recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday, and an ongoing movement to center Black voices and histories during this time of heightened awareness and unrest around anti-Black violence. 

While we commend organizations that have responded to Juneteenth, we also urge leaders to reflect on the broader intent and impact of such action. Implementing a paid holiday in honor of this significant day is important, yes, but this should also be coupled with an authentic message of solidarity and action. For those of you reflecting on how to approach Juneteenth in the long term, and also considering how to make decisions on similar overlooked heritage months/day/events (e.g. May Day, Cesar Chavez Day, etc.), here are a few important things to consider: 

1. MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY

   Learning Juneteenth’s complicated history and contextualizing your organization’s choice to honor it is the first step in ensuring thoughtful action. It’s important to speak to staff about why you’re observing this particular holiday. Hurried announcements of paid holidays without a clear understanding of the commemoration can come across as performative and feel inauthentic, particularly if there are gaps in your current DEI practices. If you’re looking to understand Juneteenth, here are a few quick places to start. 

   • The Root: This is Why Juneteenth Is Important for America

   • History of the Modern Juneteenth Movement

   • NYT: So You Want to Learn About Juneteenth?

   • The Atlantic: Balancing the Ledger on Juneteenth

   • African American Studies Professor Explains History of Juneteenth

   We encourage you to reflect on how your organization’s response fits into this history and the current conversation. Brainstorm ways to sustain this discussion (e.g., a Slack channel or speaker series discussing this content) and make space to continue learning. 

2. MAINTAIN THE TONE AND INTENT OF THE DAY 

   There are a number of ways to celebrate holidays at work (e.g. offering time off to celebrate, encouraging a day of service, or providing opportunities for ongoing discussion and education on the topic). Whatever direction you choose for Juneteenth, frame it to match the tone and intent of the observance. For example, a paid holiday without context or sustained centering of Black voices can become just another day off; or worse, it can morph into something entirely removed from its original context. A Juneteenth observance should not become a holiday where people celebrate the ‘end of racism’. Consider how you can center education, anti-racist action, or the well-being of your Black employees, partners, and customers. How can you position your organization as a model for change through regular progressive and human-centered diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives?

3. FOLLOW UP WITH TANGIBLE SYSTEMIC ACTION:

   Statements, events, and paid holidays surrounding Juneteenth are a start but are not enough to signal that the organization deeply values all of its staff and the larger community. Remember that Juneteenth is a day for celebration, but it is also a sobering reminder of America’s longstanding anti-Black violence and systemic racism, to which corporations have long been complicit. Consider accompanying your symbolic gestures with real systemic or financial action such as rolling out initiatives to increase Black representation (in your leadership), investing in sponsorship of anti-racist projects (from the revenue of a specific product), or spearheading a creative program related to your unique platform that benefits the Black community (e.g. highlighting Black creators, authors, entrepreneurs on your webpage). The responsibility for driving this work should not fall on your Black employees, as moving forward with systemic actions is everyone’s responsibility. Those who do undertake this work should be rewarded for it. 

Organizations have a unique platform to amplify the current anti-racist movement and spearhead change at a systemic level. Thoughtful action around the observance of holidays like Juneteenth are just one piece of building diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization.