CRANBERRY TWP — Members of the Cranberry Area Diversity Network have been reflecting on the unifying possibilities of Juneteenth this week.

Kathy Negley, coordinator of the network, said that June 19, the anniversary of the emancipation of the final slaves in the United States in 1866, being declared a federal holiday is a positive step in terms of recognizing not only Black history, but also American history.

“The most significant thing about it is we're acknowledging our past, our history,” Negley said. “We had slavery, slaves and we had to emancipate them. It helps us understand our past and how we are where we are today.”

It took about three years for the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation to free the last slaves located in Texas, according to Jen Ford, director of the Butler County Historical Society.

The holiday's roots are in Texas, where people began celebrating June 19 as Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Jubilee Day.

“Slaves were still being held in Texas as late as 1866,” Ford said. “Word had not gotten into Texas until after slaves were free across the country.”

Different groups have recognized Juneteenth and have used it as an opportunity to spur dialogues over the years. The Cranberry Area Diversity Network has never held any events to commemorate the anniversary of the final slaves in the United States being freed in 1866, but members might now that it has officially been declared a federal holiday.

Additionally, Brianna Bray, president of Slippery Rock University's Black Action Society, said Juneteenth could be an occasion to unify people.

“I think Juneteenth is a unifying holiday for the Black community and for allies as well,” Bray said. “It not only promotes progression for the future, but also talks about the struggles that they went through in the past.”

Negley said Juneteenth should not only be a celebratory occasion, but also an educational one.

“Education is a difficult thing right now,” Negley said. “We're passing all kinds of laws to keep us from talking about our history. We're not going to heal that way.”

Bray said the Black Action Society focuses on being a safe space on SRU's campus for all people to communicate about racial and social justice issues. Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday could open up further conversation, she said.

“It's definitely a step in the right direction,” Bray said. “A very small step, but an important one.”

The Cranberry Area Diversity Network was formed to make the township a more welcoming place. Like Bray, Negley said federally recognizing Juneteenth could help elevate Black voices.

“It doesn't change anything about the lives of Black Americans now,” Negley said. “But we consider it a very positive thing.”