Juneteenth became an official holiday on LSU’s academic calendar following a resolution passed by Student Government June 3.
The resolution was headed largely by Black Caucus President and mass communication senior Alaysia Johnson and Senate Speaker and political science and African & African American studies senior Justin Martin. The two met in May and discussed initiatives that could illuminate issues faced by Black communities.
“Student government as a whole was trying to address issues going on in the country and around campus,” Martin said.
According to the New York Times, Juneteenth has been celebrated in America since the 1800s. It celebrates the announcement that Union Army General Gordon Granger made informing enslaved African Americans that the Civil War had ended and they were free.
For Johnson, Juneteenth goes beyond history. She said the holiday was an integral part of her life, one other Americans may not even know of. She found it important to give students a day to stop and celebrate with their families.
“Juneteenth to me represents freedom and rest,” Johnson said. “[Which] is increasingly important because this [past] summer and every day presents a struggle and sense of fatigue for a lot of my community.”
She compared the holiday to a Fourth of July for the Black community– a day to be proud and free.
“Juneteenth gives us the space to just be,” Johnson said, “and celebrate who we are as individuals in our Blackness and as a people.”
After passing the resolution, SG worked with administration, especially Provost Stacia Haynie, to integrate the holiday into the academic calendar. Due to LSU’s summer schedule changes, the day ended up balancing out the semester beside the Fourth of July, easily integrating into the year.
Johnson, though not completely shocked that LSU accepted the resolution, said she was a little surprised at how easy the change was.
“I will admit I was a little taken back by the university’s willingness to help add Juneteenth to the calendar,” Johnson said. “Not because I think the administration doesn’t care or doesn’t support us, just because I’m not confident enough in the world’s commitment to Black people.”
The change marks an important recognition on the University’s part and on Louisiana’s as well. Still, Johnson emphasized that there is more to do, and the changes do not stop with Juneteenth.
“I am very glad [LSU is] showing us their commitment, but we have more work to do, and there will be more opportunities for the University to act,” she said.
SG’s resolution also included other measures to bring awareness to issues primarily faced by the Black community, one major part being a forum with LSUPD to encourage transparency.
As with any change, there will be pushback. However, Martin said he found the student body was relatively open to new ideas and social awareness.
“I think the vast majority of students aren’t against having these conversations, but they might not have the space to do it,” Martin said. “I think we’ve encountered a lot of students who just don’t know what others are experiencing. Providing those [students] with opportunities to learn is something [SG has] focused on.”
