When the House of Representatives passed the legislation creating Juneteenth as a national holiday, only a handful of Congressional members opposed the measure. The final tally: 415 in favor, with 14 voting against the bill. That was just four years ago.
What would have been the outcome if the vote were held today? It was one of many questions in mind during Saturday’s visit to the 49th Buffalo Juneteenth celebration.
Based on the hundreds who took part in the slow march of the Juneteenth parade, and the thousands who lined Genesee Street to watch, Buffalo loves its celebration. As for the national holiday, sentiments are mixed.
“So, with me being a hard worker and never taking a day off, it means everything,” said Jonathan Zelasko, Sr. He chatted at the corner of Genesee and Moselle Streets, in front of his tables of giveaways from his Kenmore thrift store.
“I’m proud and happy to say they acknowledge it and actually give everyone a day off, not just a specific demographic.”
Jeff Moore offered a more nuanced analysis, calling the holiday “a little pacifier.” After retiring from corporate America, he and his wife Tammy opened a retail business, “Unique Boutique.” Their brick-and-mortar store eventually evolved into a pop-up operation for festivals and other events. For Juneteenth, they were in the shade of Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.
Despite the national holiday, Moore believes “The environment is still hostile. And then we have a leader of the country who’s promoting bringing back old mentalities, telling people we want to go back to how it used to be.”
The slogan “Make America Great Again,” Moore said, is “motivating people in the wrong direction.”
Earl Hynshaw didn’t show much interest in discussing the national holiday. Sitting alone in the sun at a table covered with buttons, newspapers and other giveaways, he pointed to the Goodyear Avenue church where he serves as an elder.
“There’s a lot of people in the world that come to Juneteenth and celebrate,” Hynshaw said.
“So you celebrate. You celebrate the different things, the way people dress, how they look. Do they say ‘hi’ to you?”
For all the discussion of holidays and celebrations, many were working to make Juneteenth in Buffalo a memorable celebration. Members of the Buffalo Peacemakers, clad in their yellow and black uniforms, seemed to be at every corner. Buffalo Police and the Police Reserve were present along the parade route. Mayoral candidates were working the crowd seeking votes in advance of Primary Day.
Yves-Richard Blanc was also busy. A professional photographer with an extensive list of high-end, corporate clientele, Blanc Photographie was offering free portraits at its pop-up location on Saturday. He said 850 people had pre-registered for the service.
“It’s great they’re celebrating it (Juneteenth) nationally. I think it’s impactful for people of color in general, but I want our people here in Buffalo to feel the pride within their body and soul, and for them to believe in their own greatness,” said Blanc who 21 years ago moved to Buffalo, the city he now calls his home.
“We need to really invest in young people. Their knowledge, their excitement about the future. We want them to understand their value and their growth potential.”
Dozens of women wearing sorority shirts were marching in Saturday’s parade. They were carrying signs with a simple,one-word message, “Vote.” Asked to speak for the group, Tiana Evans was equally brief and dynamic.
“I mean, everything we are, we fought for this. You know, we are free. We had to push for it and we’re celebrating our freedom.”
What does America need to understand about Juneteenth?
“They need to know that we are free. There’s no holding us back. We’re not enslaved anymore, and we’re still continuing to fight for our rights and our freedom.”
