Shhh. Don’t tell Trump it’s Juneteenth

This is an opinion column from 205focus.com.

I hesitated to write this piece, mostly because I have no desire to give the president any ideas. Donald Trump has plenty on his plate already, from navigating an Iran negotiation that mirrors the 2015 deal he once criticized, to managing a war that has cost 13 American lives, spiked gas prices, and lacked any real mandate from the public.

Beyond foreign policy, he seems obsessed with turning the White House and Washington D.C. into a stage for his own brand of narcissism. Whether it is hiring Florida associates to work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool—which remains clouded with the same algae as before—or ballooning the cost of a new White House ballroom from an initial $200 million project to a $600 million expense, his focus is clear. Add in his lingering resentment over his name being removed from the John F. Kennedy Center, and it is evident he has a lot going on.

The Danger of Erasure

My fear in writing this is simple: I do not want to trigger his persistent urge to purge the truth about American history. Trump has consistently sought to erase Black history, often making those in his circle uncomfortable with the realities of our nation's past. I have no interest in emboldening his efforts to make America Jim Crow again, his push for removing historical boards from national parks, or his tendency to force corporations into fealty while discriminating against refugees from Black nations.

I am particularly worried he might attempt to cancel Juneteenth. While he is currently occupied bullying world leaders at the G7, the threat remains that he might use his office to strike at this federal holiday, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021.

Celebrating Our Freedom

Juneteenth honors the day in 1865 when news of freedom finally reached the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas—years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. For those in Alabama, it is now an official state holiday, thanks to Gov. Kay Ivey signing HB165 into law on May 9, 2025.

So, if you are wondering why you are off today, take a breath. Enjoy the time with your family, fire up the grill, and take a moment to educate the next generation about the significance of this day. Just do us all a favor: keep it quiet. We do not need the current administration deciding to target our holiday for erasure just because it commemorates a history they would rather ignore.

This is, after all, a holiday for all of us.