The 'Yeah!' hitmaker urges U.S. officials to make June 19 a national holiday as he suggests the historic date as the Independence Day for African-American people.
- June 20, 2020
AceShowbiz - Usher is celebrating Juneteenth holiday by reminding fans why marking the official end of slavery in America is so important.
The "Yeah!" singer has penned an op-ed piece for The Washington Post urging everyone to take time to reflect on the history of African-Americans every 19 June, 155 years after the last slaves in Texas were granted freedom in 1865.
Urging officials across the country to give staff the day off, Usher wrote, "Recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday would be a small gesture compared with the greater social needs of black people in America, but it can remind us of our journey toward freedom, and the work America still has to do."
The singer illustrated his article with a photo of himself wearing a T-shirt with the words 'JULY FOURTH' crossed out and replaced with 'JUNETEENTH', suggesting June 19 is Independence Day for African-Americans.
He adds, "For me, wearing the shirt (onstage at a gig in 2015) was an opportunity to inform others... that Juneteenth is our authentic day of self-determination."
There is legislation in the works to make Juneteenth a new national holiday.
