JACKSONILLE, Fla. — While federal workers have the day off in recognition of Juneteenth, state workers in Florida do not.
Juneteenth was recognized by Florida as a day of special observance back in the 1990′s, but it isn’t recognized as an official state holiday.
In recent years there has been a push to change that.
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Former State Senator Randolph Bracy (D-Orlando) ran a bill seeking to add Juneteenth to the list of official state holidays in 2021 and 2022.
“I think it’s just something that we need to settle on, recognize it appropriately and move on,” said Bracy.
In 2021, the bill faced pushback from Florida historians and descendants of enslaved Floridians who favored recognizing May 20th -the official Emancipation Day for the State of Florida- over June 19th, which marks the day the last slaves in Galveston Texas were read the Emancipation Proclamation.
“Texas didn’t jump up and down to say, wow let’s celebrate with Florida. So why should Florida jump up and down and celebrate with Texas?” said Sgt. Major Jarvis V. Rosier with the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the US Colored Troops Living History Association at the bill’s first committee stop in the 2021 Florida Legislative Session.
Bracy tried to compromise, by amending the bill to recognize both May 20th and June 19th as official state holidays, but it never crossed the finish line, leaving the State of Florida without any official state holiday recognizing emancipation to this day.
At the same time, Florida does recognize some controversial state holidays including the birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis along with Confederate Memorial Day.
“I think it’s the dichotomy you see in our state and in our nation and it’s something that we gotta continue to work through,” said Bracy.
Bracy added the Sunshine State’s ties to the Confederacy are undeniable and as part of history, should be acknowledged, but he said he hopes moving forward the full scope of the state’s history, including emancipation, is also properly recognized.
“As African Americans our ancestors were able to achieve their freedom and it’s cause for celebration,” said Bracy.
No legislators filed a Juneteenth bill this past legislative session, but Bracy said he’s optimistic the proposal will eventually make it across the finish line.
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