Juneteenth, According to Executive Director of Michigan Legislative Black Caucus

I went to the Lansing Capitol Building for a Juneteenth luncheon on Jun. 16, where I talked with Sherie J. Davy, Executive Director of Michigan Legislative Black Caucus.

Davy grew up in the north, but moved to Texas for a short while before returning to Michigan, she said.

"And I moved there in May, so people were starting preparations for Juneteenth, and I was clueless. I’m wondering, Juneteenth? In addition to which, I must confess, I thought it sounded a little country. Like Juneteenth? C’mon people now," Davy said with a laugh.

But Davy later was told by her friend who celebrated Juneteenth the history behind it.

"And, I thought at first, how horrible that there was a whole group of people that were not told that they were free. Everybody else, the other states had freed the slaves, and nobody had informed them," she said.

"As long as anybody is in chains, in slavery, then none of us are free. And because of that, I think that it’s probably-- if not on-- equal importance as we celebrate Fourth of July. We think about emancipation,  we should also realize there was nothing to celebrate until all our brothers and sister were able to say the same thing. That at least we were acknowledged publicly, officially, as free people," Davy said.

"So I think that that’s very important. I think that it should be something that is taught in the history books,” she said.