Our own Bernie Henderson, president-elect, was featured today in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Well done, Bernie!
Celebrate Juneteenth as Freedom Day for all
As a white male Southerner who is just days away from his 70th birthday, I am excited that Juneteenth might become a state holiday in Virginia.
Since I was a child, I have had the belief that unless all people are free, none of us is free. Juneteenth is a benchmark for the beginning of freedom in our nation. It is where our work in progress legally began. While Juneteenth’s significance to African American citizens is paramount, there is no better time for all of us to celebrate freedom.
We can continue to refer to it as Juneteenth, just as we know what the Fourth of July is. But as I prefer to refer to the Fourth of July as Independence Day, I personally am going to refer to Juneteenth as Freedom Day. On the Fourth of July, we celebrate our nation’s independence; on Juneteenth, we celebrate our citizens’ freedom.
Juneteenth and the Fourth of July — Freedom Day and Independence Day. We have a lot to celebrate and a lot of work to do.
– Bernard L. Henderson Jr.
The Shepherd's Center Of Richmond 