Read President Obama's Statement Marking Juneteenth in Wake of Charleston Shooting President Barack Obama pauses as he speaks about gun … During this month's celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery, a Facebook post made the claim that former President Barack Obama never mentioned the holiday during his entire eight years in office.The claim came a few days after President Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal, on June 17, that before his rally "nobody had ever heard of" Juneteenth. "Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. These events included "public entertainment, picnics, and family reunions" often featuring "dramatic readings, pageants, parades, barbecues, and ball games. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Other states included Alabama, Florida, and California.According to Juneteenth.com, the holiday continued to gain strong support up until WWII, when a mix of social issues led to the celebration of Juneteenth significantly declining.
"Contrary to what others had told them, the rumors they had heard were indeed true. "A year later, under the direction of the Freedmen's Bureau, Juneteenth was first celebrated at the Texas state capital. Since then, all but three states have officially recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday: Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota.We rate the claim that former President Barack Obama did not mention Juneteenth while in office as FALSE because it is not supported by our research.
However, that doesn't mean that America can pat itself on the back. Melania Trump sent out a tweet celebrating Juneteenth, but her critics weren't about to let her birther comments about former President Barack Obama be forgotten.
Former President Obama marked Juneteenth on Friday, calling the annual June 19 holiday commemorating the abolishment of slavery a chance to take stock of the work still ahead. The Civil War had ended, and they were now free. It's a celebration of progress. Thus, this date is largely symbolic of African-American freedom.According to the Texas State Historical Association, Texans began celebrating Juneteenth, recreationally, as early as 1866. The first lady took to Twitter to read “All Different Now” by Angela Johnson, which tells the story of Juneteenth, a day that celebrates the end of slavery, through the eyes of a young girl. It's Juneteenth! It's an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible — and there is still so much work to do," Obama tweeted.USA TODAY has reached out to the former president's team for comment.According to the Congressional Research Service, Juneteenth "marks the date that Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of both the Civil War and slavery." "Obama has also continued to advocate for the holiday even after leaving the Oval Office. During this month's celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of … During his time in the Oval Office, the former president released many official White House statements commemorating the date. Former President Barack Obama marked the celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, Juneteenth, with a tweet about a painting he had hanging when he was a resident at the White House.
PolitiFact published a fact-check the following day that rated Trump's claim as "pants on fire" false.The Facebook post asks readers, "how come black Obama in 8 years never mentioned Juneteenth?" According to On June 19, take a moment to celebrate the achievements the United States has made towards equality, but don't forget that there are still many more issues to face. The announcement was delivered on June 19, 1865.Although the Emancipation Proclamation came two-and-a-half years prior in 1863, many slave owners continued to hold slaves because of the lack of communication channels. However, it provides no evidence to support the claim.The user could not be reached for comments or clarification.The former president of the United States has a long history with the holiday, dating back to his days as an Illinois state senator.In 2003, he was one of many co-sponsors of SB1028, a bill that made Juneteenth a state-recognized holiday in Illinois.According to White House archives, during his time in the Oval Office, Obama made an official White House statement regarding Juneteenth on seven separate occasions, beginning during his first year in office in 2009, with the exception of 2013, based on our research.