Juneteenth 2026: Broken chains and the unbroken spirit of Frederick Douglass
Alabama should celebrate Juneteenth and America's greatest abolitionist by getting rid of its Confederate holidays.
Ryan Cooper 
This is an opinion tribute cartoon.
“Abolish slavery tomorrow, and not a sentence or syllable of the Constitution need be altered.” — Frederick Douglass
Alabama has officially recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday for an entire year. It marks a significant moment in our history, commemorating June 19, 1865, the day freedom finally reached the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
While we don’t need to party like it’s 1865, 161 years later, we can finally embrace this state holiday in Alabama. Though navigating today’s political climate can feel like an uphill battle, it remains vital to honor the enduring spirit of Frederick Douglass.
Related: Juneteenth celebrations planned across Alabama in 2026
Time to Move Past Confederate Holidays
As we observe this day, it is worth repeating: Alabama should fully celebrate Juneteenth and America’s greatest abolitionist by finally retiring its Confederate holidays. Currently, the state observes three: Confederate Memorial Day in April, the birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in June, and the problematic joint holiday pairing Robert E. Lee Day with Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January. That is clearly too many.
It is time to replace Robert E. Lee Day with Frederick Douglass Day. Celebrating the end of slavery is a victory for all of humanity, while the Confederacy represents a legacy that does not deserve state-sanctioned recognition.
Honoring the Legacy of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass remains one of the most vital voices in American history. Born into bondage, he escaped and dedicated his life to exposing the brutal realities of slavery. He became a titan of the abolitionist movement, an advisor to presidents, and a testament to Black excellence and intellectual fortitude.
To commemorate this day of broken chains and an unbroken spirit, we reflect on the powerful words of Douglass:
- “It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
- “The white man’s happiness can not be purchased by the Black man’s misery.”
- “Shoot down the Confederacy and uphold the flag; the American flag.”
- “Without a struggle, there can be no progress.”
- “Men do not love those who remind them of their sins.”
- “They who study mankind with a whip in their hands will always go wrong.”
- “I would unite with anybody to do right; and with nobody to do wrong.”
- “Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one’s thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. That, of all rights, is the dread of tyrants. It is the right which they first of all strike down.”
Happy Juneteenth, Alabama.
