Juneteenth and Reparations – Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, Haiti News

 Rena Black The commemoration of Juneteenth, which acknowledges the end of slavery, takes place on June 19th. It has been a great first step in America’s reckoning with its past. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, when President Biden signed into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. It’s worth noting that the law was signed after the brutal and inhumane modern-day lynching of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The murder led to widespread demonstrations and protests which shed light on the prevalent racial injustice and inequalities that impact many black people.  Lingering effects of slavery still have a huge impact on Black families today, especially economically.  On February 29th, 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Carl Heastie announced the appointment of nine distinguished individuals to serve on the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies. They are tasked with analyzing inequities experienced by Black Americans experiences and move forward with policy proposals to address these inequalities impacting various aspects of their lives. (Jr., 2024) When the red, black and green flag colors fly on Juneteenth, Black people across the United States will commune together to commemorate the day African American...