Juneteenth: More Than History—it’s a Movement We Must Protect
“The only way we’ll get freedom for ourselves is to identify ourselves with every oppressed people in the world.” Malcolm X
Juneteenth marks not just the end of chattel slavery, but the beginning of a continued struggle for freedom. As federal troops enforced emancipation in Texas in 1865, systems of racial oppression evolved. Mass incarceration, labor trafficking, and border enforcement remain legal through loopholes like the 13th Amendment and state-sponsored exploitation. This regime threatens not only our civil rights, but our freedoms.
Under Siege: Erasing American Memory
The Trump administration and its Project 2025 blueprint have openly moved to dismantle institutions that preserve Black history. They have defunding museums like the National Museum of African American History, censoring school curricula, banning DEI, and even directing park rangers to flag “negative” narratives. Project 2025’s “Mandate for Leadership” calls for mass deportations and expanded executive powers, threatening immigrants and activists alike. In 2025, federal grant programs for Juneteenth were rescinded, shrinking celebrations and chilling organizers.
Modern Forms of Unfreedom
Global slavery still traps over 50 million people. In the U.S., over 400,000 are in forced labor in fields like agriculture, domestic work, incarceration, and sex trafficking . African migrants face exploitation in the kafala system—tied to employers in Gulf countries—and trafficking across international borders. This exploitation is the unpaid labor behind our smartphones, chocolate, and gold.
Our Role as MuslimARC
As a faith-rooted anti-racism collective, MuslimARC rejects the erasure of this ongoing struggle. We affirm:
- Abolition of mass incarceration and exploitative labor systems
- Divestment from racial capitalism and unjust supply chains
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Investment in Black led freedom movements and Black Immigrant and Indigenous leadership
What You Can Do
- Speak out—call out historical erasure at Juneteenth events and in schools.
- Support DEI and grant-funded programs facing defunding.
- Divest from products built on exploitation—like cobalt, chocolate, gold, electronics.
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Amplify Black- and immigrant-led campaigns for freedom and rights.
This Juneteenth, our struggle is not history—it’s alive. If our institutions seek to silence our stories, our answer must be louder, bolder, more united.
