Juneteenth and the 13th Amendment

6/19/2020

Read these two articles:
What is Juneteenth?
https://history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth
Does an Exemption Clause in the 13th Amendment Still Permit Slavery? (25% of all the world's prisoners are in America)
https://www.history.com/news/13th-amendment-slavery-loophole-jim-crow-prisons

Answer:
1. Why is June 19th just as important (maybe more) as the Emancipation Proclamation? Should Juneteenth be a National Holiday? Explain.
2. Do you believe the provisions in the 13th Amendment freed African-Americans, or created a modern-day prison slave system (or both)? Explain.
3. Name an event that is personally important to you that you would like to see become a national holiday.
4. Respond to two of your fellow students' Blog entries.

70 Comments

Aidan Lui

6/19/2020 10:22:33 am

This day is important because this is the day that all the slaves in Texas have become free. I think that this should be a holiday since this is an example of showing that America was changing at the time and still is becoming better and better everyday. I think that the 13th Amendment freed African Americans since they couldn't be arrested for something they didn't do and allowed them to go to court for a fair trial. There are no events personally I would like to see become a national holiday

Freddy Zhou

6/19/2020 10:35:11 am

Your statement is very true. It should be a holiday since it shows how we are becoming better. We are not problem free, but June 19th showed that America was changing and becoming better for everyone.

Khanh Tu

6/19/2020 11:36:37 am

Yes, I like that Juneteenth is a ways of showing change in our american history. Making a national holiday should remind how much we bee through to get to this point.

David Alcala

6/19/2020 12:40:51 pm

I agree. It shows national progress in civil and human rights, and sets an example for ourselves in times of crisis, especially like the one that is currently taking place.

Allie Scanlan

6/19/2020 12:41:44 pm

I agree with this because it shows that the slaves were heard and got freedom from slavery. The slaves could then escape the suffering and start living their own lives freely

Nathan Nguyen

6/19/2020 01:51:44 pm

I agree with you because they did their best to end slavery and we should honor them.

Rachel Wu

6/19/2020 09:11:04 pm

I definitely agree with you. June 19th is really an important date. However, I also believe that not only did the 13th Amendment free the African Americans, it also caused prisons to treat prisoners like slaves. Its a mix of both, actually.

Emily Zhang

6/19/2020 10:30:23 pm

Yes, you are speaking my mind right now. It did free African Americans, but it also mentioned about crime and imprisoning. In other words, I feel that African-Americans have rights like normal citizens do.

Matthew Phan

6/19/2020 11:01:01 pm

I agree with your view on Juneteenth being a Holiday. I also sided with Juneteenth being a holiday on my post because it is an important day. With Juneteenth as a holiday, it can act as a signification of the amount of effort we have put into "abolishing" slavery. It will also show how far we have come as a society.

Alice Branicio

6/19/2020 11:05:46 pm

I agree with your sentiment that Juneteenth should become a holiday though I don't completely agree with your view on the 13th amendment freeing African Americans. They gained much more rights than a slave had, but they were convicted for small crimes more often and thus still treated like slaves in the prison system.

Irvin Qi link

6/19/2020 11:16:14 pm

I agree with the idea that this day represents that America is changing as Juneteenth represents when action was actually being taken to make our country better.

Samuel Luu

6/20/2020 02:16:32 pm

I agree with your statement. I also think that there are no events personally I would like to see become a national holiday.

Freddy Zhou

6/19/2020 10:34:00 am

I believe that Juneteenth is just as important as the Emancipation Proclamation since both freed slaves and was a momentous day in history. The Emancipation Proclamation did free slaves and gave them rights. They didn't have much rights, but their lives improved greatly. There is no other events that I would like to see become a national holiday.

toby zhou

6/19/2020 11:47:44 am

I agree with you, I'm sure their lives improves immensely with their freedom. It is just as important as it marks the day where the last of the slaves in our country were liberated, and it should be celebrated nationally too.

Allie Scanlan

6/19/2020 12:45:00 pm

Yes, I agree. Even though they didn't have many rights, this must have been such a relief to them and a big step towards complete equality. Celebrating freedom is one of the best celebrations out there, especially a moment in history and for the slaves.

Nathan Nguyen

6/19/2020 01:52:36 pm

I agree with you because the day the slave were free is a day on will will ever forget

Allison Vu

6/19/2020 02:59:01 pm

I agree with you that Juneteenth is just as important as the Emancipation Proclamation. I also think that it was a life-changing moment for the slaves.

Rachel Wu

6/19/2020 09:09:14 pm

Yes, I agree, Juneteenth is just as important. It is the day that slaves finally gained freedom, and that is why its something we need to celebrate. Their lives improved a lot, however, it could have been better because there was still a lot of discrimination.

Richard Tan

6/19/2020 11:02:47 am

I believe that now more than ever, Juneteeth should be as, if not, more important than the emancipation proclamation. Juneteenth represents how freedom and justice in the US have always been delayed for black people. As events unfold, attention remains focused on acts of police brutality and various racial profiling incidents. It is clear as day that progress has been made to truly give freedom to black people, however, extensive barriers continue to impede that progress. Personally, I believe that the 13th Amendment freed African Americans, in exchange for creating created a modern-day prison slave system. It is true that it states that slavery should not exist in the United States, but it also explicitly articulates that “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted”. No events have come into mind as of writing this.

Khanh Tu

6/19/2020 11:35:05 am

seem like most of us don't have any new ideas for a new holidays. Its probably because America have too much Holidays already?

Aidan Lui

6/19/2020 11:49:48 am

I agree that it is more important since it serves as a way to remind Americans the first time they saw change and they should do the same and not judge people cause of their skin color.

toby zhou

6/19/2020 11:58:19 am

I agree with you, most don't see the holiday as a representation of the unfairness of our country (the fact that freedom and justice has always been delayed for black people). People only see the holiday as a victory, but the battle is not over yet, to this day, justice is still delayed for black people. For example, George Floyd's murderers were not criminally prosecuted until after days of public pressure and worldwide protests. Justice for Floyd was delayed. There's a whole list of black lives who still have not received justice. Although it will be delayed, justice for the whole list of black lives will be continued to be fought for with the movement.

Khanh Tu

6/19/2020 11:28:48 am

I believe that Juneteenth is as important as the Emancipation Proclamation because Juneteenth was when the writing on the Emancipation Proclamation become a reality. In a similar term Juneteenth was the action and the Emancipation Proclamation was the promise. Usually promise are easy to broken, which mean Juneteenth is more important than the Emancipation Proclamation but the promise to free slaves during the old times wasn’t just a regular promise. It was the promise made by the president. It was the promise that anger many people do to make that promise is very important and of course the action is always important. Juneteenth should be a national holiday. Move in to the second question, The 13th Amendment did free slaves and allow them to live in the united nation but the Amendment had become a modern-day prison slaves system. In The articles Mr.Cosbey provides said” After the Civil War, new offenses like “malicious mischief” were vague, and could be a felony or misdemeanor depending on the supposed severity of behavior. These laws sent more black people to prison than ever before, and by the late 19th century the country experienced its first “prison boom,” legal scholar Michelle Alexander writes in her book The New Jim Crow.” This text show that a law was useless and it still send slaves back to a prison, just a new prison. So why create the Amendment in the first place. That’s all I have to say and I don’t have any ideas for new national holidays.

Aidan Lui

6/19/2020 11:53:45 am

I agree with your statement saying that America kept a promise. It shows how we have changed over time to become better people while making the community better.

David Alcala

6/19/2020 12:45:19 pm

I agree, it's not much different than how it used to be, it's just been modernized. The way that it is written provides wide interpretation and is allowing African Americans to be continuously sent to prison. The reason it's vague is to mask the true intent behind it and the uncivil acts that it induces.

Richard Tan

6/19/2020 01:24:47 pm

Definitely agree. They supposedly gave slaves freedom, but in the end created a new slave system instead. Using it as an excuse to send more black people to prison.

Alice Branicio

6/19/2020 11:09:38 pm

I fully agree with your sentiment that African Americans were just sent back to prisons as slaves and the amendment didn't help as much at all. As well as how it has been the same for decades now and African Americans to this day are treated like their ancestors were in a modernized slavery setting.

toby zhou

6/19/2020 11:45:56 am

June 19th is just as important as it marks the day where the last enslaved African Americans were liberated 155 years ago today. Juneteenth should be a National Holiday as it celebrates a victory for the country. The victory against the age of slavery.
I believe the provisions in the 13th Amendment freed African-Americans and created a modern-day prison slave system? Basically the imprisoned are exceptions for the freedom of slaves.
There aren't any personal important events that I would like to see become a national holiday

Richard Tan

6/19/2020 01:16:02 pm

I agree with your point of view that Juneteenth is important, because it is acts like a symbol of freedom for those whos liberties were taken from. In addition, those imprisoned are like a from of slavery, in exchange for their wrong doings, as you would say.

Tyler Minohara

6/19/2020 12:36:28 pm

June 19th (Juneteenth) is as important as the Emancipation Proclamation is because all freeing of slaves. Juneteenth should be a national holiday because it was the end point of slavery. I think the 13th Amendment made freed American slaves because the 13th Amendment says “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” I have no personal holiday that I would like to become a national holiday.

Britney Huynh

6/20/2020 08:17:19 pm

I also strongly agree that Juneteeth is as important as the Emancipation Proclamation, and that it should be celebrated as a holiday, since it comes to show that we finally accepted African-Americans as humans, rather than property, because we breathe than same air, share the same colored blood, and share the same traits and characteristics. As for the thirteenth amendment, I would say that it did free slaves, but it created a modern-day prison slave system due to the fact that African-Americans get convicted for minor crimes, compared to European-Americans.

David Alcala

6/19/2020 12:38:37 pm

I believe that Juneteenth should be as if not more important than the Emancipation Proclamation. The two events are two halves of the same whole, the liberation of slaves across the nation. As the Emancipation Proclamation guaranteed freedom for all slave workers, they weren't necessarily freed overnight. Juneteenth finished what the Emancipation Proclamation started. I believe that the 13th amendment did, in fact, create a modernized slave system. They structure of society and its beliefs are against African Americans, and criminalize them for the purpose of free labor and profit. Private prisons are paid according to the number of inmates that they have. That money then goes to the government, which creates manufactured drug laws that target African Americans. Those people are then charged and imprisoned, thus creating a triangle trade. Personally, I do not have any important dates that I want to see become a national holiday; this is the priority right now.

Allie Scanlan

6/19/2020 12:38:46 pm

I believe that Juneteenth is just as important because the Emancipation Proclamation declared all slaves to be free and Juneteenth is celebration that liberation and that huge step leading to equality for all. I also believe that the 13th amendment freed the slaves and gave fair legal treatment as far as punishment to all people. There aren't any important events that I would like to see become a national holiday.

Tyler Minohara

6/19/2020 01:34:08 pm

I agree on what you are saying. And the last sentence, Okay.

Astrid Castro

6/19/2020 04:29:36 pm

I agree with you. I think it is a huge step for equality but we need to keep fighting for it.

Samuel Luu

6/20/2020 02:15:45 pm

I agree with your statement. I also do not think there are any important events I would like to see become a national holiday.

Nathan Nguyen

6/19/2020 01:21:20 pm

June 19th is a very important because it is the day that all the slaves in Texas have become free. I think that this should be a holiday because the gaining freedom should be celebrated because America is a free country. I think that the 13th Amendment freed African Americans since they couldn't be arrested for something they didn't do and allowed them to go to court for a fair trial. If I were to invent a holiday, I would name it technology day because technology has advance very far and it builds up our community today

Tyler Minohara

6/19/2020 01:38:25 pm

I agree that there should be a holiday for June 19 (Juneteenth).

About the holiday, what kind of technology are we talking about? Electronics, phones, what?

Allison Vu

6/19/2020 02:48:04 pm

I fully agree with you that Juneteenth is very important and should be a holiday because it's celebrating the end of slavery in the United States.

Emily Zhang

6/19/2020 10:42:27 pm

I agree with all the things that you mentioned, BUT I don't agree with your technology idea. Technology is advancing but there are many downsides. The downsides are: stocking people online, cyber bullying, hacking, no privacy, ads that are not age appropriate, addicting games, etc. Having a younger brother that is 11 years old, I noticed that he knows too much adult content than I do. He is also addicted with playing games and that made him lazy and moody. Technology advancing is good when people utilizes it correctly and having self control would also be great.

Irvin Qi link

6/19/2020 11:18:19 pm

I think that there are two sides to technology day, as even though we have access to many things people could not dream of back in the day, many less fortunate countries in the world do not have our luxuries, even lacking electricity and filtered water. I believe that technology day should come when our luxurious lives can also be experienced globally, making everyone's lives better.

Allison Vu

6/19/2020 02:44:42 pm

June 19th is just as important as the Emancipation Proclamation because it is serves as the day all enslaved people were free. I think that Juneteenth should be a holiday because it is a commemoration of the end to slavery. I believe that the 13th Amendment freed African Americans, but also made it into a modern-day prison slave system. It states that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” It is saying that slavery shouldn't exist in the United States, but it also gives exceptions as a punishment for crime. There are no events that I would like to see become a national holiday.

Astrid Castro

6/19/2020 04:30:49 pm

I agree. Juneteenth should be a national holiday it has been a major event that can lead to equality.

Stefanie Woo

6/19/2020 10:36:52 pm

I agree that Juneteenth should be a national holiday. It was a joyful and memorable day for the slaves at that time. They are finally free and it is the end of slavery. We should celebrate this day since it did make a big change in the lives of people.

Gabby Wang

6/20/2020 06:55:16 pm

I agree that Juneteenth should be a National holiday because it was a major event that was showed change for the better and opened a world of many possibilities. It was an important event in our history and need to recognize this day, the day that the last remaining enslaved African Americans were finally free.

Irvin Qi link

6/19/2020 03:59:09 pm

June 19th, in my opinion, is more important than the Emancipation Proclamation as this is when true military and government action was used to ensure that the slaves were freed. For 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and possibly longer if not for Juneteenth, slaves were still kept in Texas. It should be declared a national holiday because like other national holidays such as Independence day, it celebrates a great achievement that improved upon our country as a whole. Since African Americans have the highest rate of incarceration in the U.S., I believe that the 13th Amendment provision just creates a loophole for slavery. Personally, I do not believe that any event in my life should become a national holiday.

Nikki Tang

6/22/2020 02:27:42 am

I agree with your statement of the 13th amendment and it just created a loophole making it sound good to the public however they were just arrested and used for unpaid labor.

Astrid Castro

6/19/2020 04:26:11 pm

I think Juneteenth is just as important as the Emancipation. It has been more than a 150 years since slaves were freed. This just shows that things can be changed in America. I think this should be a national holiday since it is one major event that happened in America and it should be celebrated by all. I think the 13th amendment created a modern-day prison slave system. The 13th amendment says slavery is not condoned unless someone has done a crime. I wouldn't like to see any personal events become a national holiday.

Stefanie Woo

6/19/2020 10:40:04 pm

Yes, it was a major event that happened in America and should be celebrated by all. Also since it's been more than 150 years since slaves were freed, it shows how much America has change. Juneteeth is just as important as the Emancipation. I agree.

Matthew Phan

6/19/2020 07:39:54 pm

Juneteenth is just as important as the Emancipation Proclamation because it marks the day that all slaves were liberated. The two together contributed to the liberation of slaves in the U.S. Considering that Juneteenth marks the day of the enslaved people being freed, it should be a holiday. I believed that the 13th Amendment freed African Americans along with contributing to the creation of a modern-day prison slave system. The 13th amendment states that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime" will exist within the United States. This signifies that slavery shouldn't be allowed for any reason, but as a punishment for a crime. There aren't any events that I would like to see become a national holiday.

Matthew Phan

6/19/2020 09:19:01 pm

*didnt contribute to the liberation of slaves.* my bad

Matthew Phan

6/19/2020 09:42:35 pm

Juneteenth was the day celebrating the liberation of all slaves in the U.S. The Emancipation was the declaration of all slaves being free.

Rachel Wu

6/19/2020 09:05:40 pm

Juneteenth is a very important, just as relevant or even more than the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19th is the day all African Americans gained freedom, meaning they are now no longer slaves. Juneteenth should be a national holiday as it is an important event that really changed the lives of many. In my opinion, the 13th Amendment allowed freedom for the African Americans but also caused slavery in the prisons. Prisoners nowadays are still being treated like slaves and the cause of that is due to slavery back then. As of now, I personally don't have a event that I want to become a holiday.

Matthew Phan

6/19/2020 11:07:28 pm

I agree with the idea of Juneteenth being a national holiday, for it was a day that had significant impacts on the modern world. Furthermore, the day where all slaves in the U.S. were liberated should be remembered, for it shows how far we've gotten throughout the years. After years and years of fighting to end slavery, we have finally managed to somewhat abolish it....

Matthew Phan

6/19/2020 10:04:19 pm

Stefanie Woo

6/19/2020 10:24:55 pm

I believe Juneteenth is just as important or even more than the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 marks the day of all enslaved people are freed. It should be a national holiday, because this day made a big change in many people’s lives. It is also a big event in history that we should remember. I think the provisions in the 13th amendment created a modern-day slave system. In the amendment it states that it gives exceptions as a punishment for crime. I don’t agree with slavery being a punishment for committing a crime. When someone committed a crime and in jail, I believe that they should use the time in there to learn their mistake not for slavery. There are no personal events that I would like to become a national holiday.

Leonardo Campos-Yu

6/20/2020 12:05:54 pm

Stefanie Woo. I agree that Juneteenth marks a great change in our nation's history, a day that affects many people who live in the U.S., and thus, should be recognized as a national holiday. I also agree with you on the fact that slavery should not be permitted as a form of punishment for crimes.

Emily Zhang

6/19/2020 10:27:14 pm

June 19 and Emancipation Proclamation is both important because it is about freeing slaves. Based on imagination, I think that back then, many enslaved people were happy and celebrated when they were freed. Even though there aren’t any people enslaved now, it is still important to cherish this holiday. People will use this time to think about the past and maybe their ancestors. I believed that the provisions in the 13th Amendment freed African-Americans and created a modern-day prison slave system. African-Americans have rights, but they can still be imprisoned if they had done something wrong. I would want a national holiday like sibling-teacher day. Since I am the oldest child in my family, I have to teach my younger brother math, English, music, art, etc. It is harder to teach family members because he/she wouldn’t give you that much respect than teaching non family member. I want at least a day off from my brother.

Alice Branicio

6/19/2020 10:59:30 pm

Juneteenth is as important as the Emancipation Proclamation because it was the day all slaves in Texas gained freedom. I believe it should be a National Holiday as it marked a big change in our history and we have no problem having holidays dedicated to some controversial people. I do believe that the 13th amendment created a modern slave system that indirectly affects African Americans the most, as they are usually overcharged and wrongfully convicted at higher rates than white Americans. Masking the oppression of people of colour by calling it prison labour. An event I personally would like to be celebrated here in the U.S. would be racial harmony day, as celebrated in Singapore. When I lived there, it was a celebration of living harmoniously with those of different cultures than your own and I think it would be a very educational experience to have here in the United States.

Gabby Wang

6/20/2020 06:47:08 pm

I agree that Juneteenth is as important as the Emancipation Proclamation. As Texas did not receive the news until two years later, when the slaves heard the reading of Order No. 3, they immediately erupted in celebration, and the Juneteenth holiday was born. To the freed slaves, this meant the brutality that they had known and endured was going to end, and that a new life full of new opportunity was beginning.

Leonardo N Campos-Yu

6/20/2020 11:58:53 am

June 19th is just as important as the Emancipation Proclamation because the purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation was to free slaves by abolishing slavery. However, it was not effective in doing so completely until June 19th. With that being said, Juneteenth should be a national holiday because it marked a date in which a great change was made in the United States, a change that affected a large portion of the people living in this nation, and thus, should be a recognized holiday nationwide.
I think that the provisions in the 13th Amendment freed the slaves, however, it was not successful in completely abolishing the thing we view as slavery. It does seem that the United States today does not look so bad as it used to before these laws were passed, in terms of slavery and how average Americans used to carry out their lives with the ownership of other human beings. It definitely isn't as common as it used to be to see Americans owning African Americans. Although these laws that were passed may not have been completely successful in abolishing "slavery" because what some people refer to as "modern-day slavery" may still exist today.
I think Children's Day should be a national holiday in the United States. Many other countries in the world celebrate Children's Day, but here in the U. S., we only celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day, and it would be nice to celebrate Children's Day, as well.

Nikki Tang

6/22/2020 02:30:41 am

I agree with your statement about the 13th amendment, it didn't get rid of the though of slaver or even slavery it self, people still had the idea of them as property.

Samuel Luu

6/20/2020 02:14:53 pm

I believe that Juneteenth is important because this is the day that all the slaves in Texas have become free. I also believe that this should be a holiday since this is an example of showing that America was changing. Additionally, I firmly think that the 13th amendment created a modern slave system that indirectly affects African Americans the most, as some were usually overcharged and wrongfully convicted at higher rates than white Americans, as white privilege does exist. There are no events that I would like to see as a national holiday though.

Britney Huynh

6/20/2020 08:08:03 pm

I strongly agree with your statement. I too, believe that Juneteeth is important, and should be celebrated as a holiday, to show how much belief in righteousness has evolved. As for the thirteenth amendment, I also believe that not only did it free slaves back then, but it also create a modern slave system.

Joseph Yip

6/20/2020 10:46:17 pm

I agree with what you are saying because as you said, America is changing for the better. I also agree with your statement about the 13th amendment because a lot of African Americans are punished more severely for lesser crimes.

Gabby Wang

6/20/2020 06:15:56 pm

Juneteenth is as important as the Emancipation Proclamation because it was the day all slaves in Texas gained freedom. Yes, Juneteenth should a national holiday because this day is when the black men and women awoke as slaves and went to sleep as free men and women. Not only that but with the Black Lives Matter movement sweeping our country, having everyone band together as one and fight for what we believe in, what better way to begin real change than to officially recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday? I believe the provisions in the 13th Amendment both freed African-Americans, and created a modern-day prison slave system because although they gained more rights, they were also sentenced for a lot of minor crimes. I think that the June 28, the day that the stonewall riot happened should be a national holiday. The stonewall riot symbolizes the beginning of a major change for the LGBTQ+ community.

Britney Huynh

6/20/2020 08:03:39 pm

I believe that Juneteenth is as important as the Emancipation Proclamation because Juneteeth- June 19, is the day that celebrates the emancipation of those who have been enslaved in the United States of America. In which this day should be a very important holiday because this day had held such a big impact in this revolution. Although slaves are no longer slaves, but freed, I feel that it is still important to this day because other races can finally accept the fact that African-American are not property, but as humans. As for the thirteen amendment, I believe that it freed African-Americans, and created a modern-day prison slave system, because to this day, African-Americans are still being charged for very minor crimes, compared to Caucasians. As of now, there is no events that I want to see as a holiday.

Joseph Yip

6/20/2020 10:32:21 pm

I agree with your statement about Juneteenth celebrating the emancipation of enslaved peoples in the U.S. I also agree with your statement about other races accepting the fact that African Americans are no longer property and are people.

Joseph Yip

6/20/2020 09:59:13 pm

I believe that Juneteenth is just as important as the Emancipation Proclamation. I think that this day should be a national holiday because it was the day that the Emancipation Proclamation fulfilled its job by freeing all the slaves in America. I think that the provisions in the 13th Amendment created a modern-day prison slave system because it forces people to work against their will without anything valuable in return. Personally, there isn't an event that I believe should be a national holiday.

Nikki Tang

6/22/2020 02:24:53 am

Juneteenth is important is the day slavery ended and it is more important than emancipation proclamation because Texas was the state with the most slaves and the emancipation proclamation want enforced until June 19th. This showed that things were changing for the better and equality was important to many people. The thirteen amendment in my opinion freed slaves and enslaved people who where in prison because they committed a "crime" therefore their punishment was to become a slave. I have no event that I would personally turn into a national day.

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