The president of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, said that the meaning of Juneteenth opposes that of critical race theory as the holiday symbolizes how exceptional America is.
Kay C. James told Fox News that "Juneteenth is a perfect answer to those who are promoting critical race theory."
Juneteenth says, no, we do not need to destroy the very structures of this nation, the things that make us great. That while there were issues or problems in our history, look at how we overcame and are overcoming them.
She told the news outlet that "one of the biggest battles" conservatives are facing in the race debate in America "is separating out those individuals who say, ‘If you're against critical race theory, you therefore by default are a racist.’"
The Heritage president said that this notion must be knocked down.
On June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves through the Emancipation Proclamation, was the day all remaining slaves in Texas were informed of their freedom.
James said June 19 represents a crucial turning point in United States history.
For me and I hope for most Americans, it's a holiday that we can all celebrate because it says that we as a nation recognize that the institution of slavery was in absolute conflict with our very core principles and values from our founding, and that Americans fought an entire war to get rid of the institution of slavery.
James said in an op-ed for The Washington Times that Juneteenth is not a date to highlight America's dark pasts, but rather, a time to recognize that America is an extraordinary country as it "was built on humanity’s highest ideals and endowed with a constitutional framework that allowed it to right its wrongs throughout history."
—a nation that, though flawed, was built with a constitutional framework that allowed us to right our wrongs.
— Kay C. James (@KayColesJames) June 19, 2021
Let’s use this day as a teachable moment about the evils of slavery and the system that redeemed us. @WashTimesOpEd 2/2https://t.co/n4mMJBvIq5
Congress passed a bill Wednesday making Juneteenth a federal holiday in a 415-14 vote in the House after the bill passed in the Senate the day before. President Joe Biden on Thursday signed the bill into law.