by Tom Renz, Esq., America Outloud:

I’m of the belief that we should recognize and celebrate our history. It’s integral that we understand where we’ve come from and learn from our past, especially the dark parts. The bottom line is slavery is a horrible chapter in American history, and Juneteenth celebrates its abolition as a good thing.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is my favorite historic speech of all time. Dr. King talks about American history and the Emancipation Proclamation, and how long after the slaves were freed, people of color were still treated as lesser in our society. A black man was not viewed as equal to a white man, and those who lived through the civil rights movement know all too well about the evils of segregation and the racism that was still occurring at that time. Regardless of race, Every man and woman must have equal opportunity in a free society.