OPINION: A Juneteenth message               

By Dajia Williams

JA Guest Writer

I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on something so powerful, so necessary – and so deeply connected to who we are, Juneteenth.

On June 19th, 1865 – more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation – Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that would change lives forever. He read General Order No. 3, which declared: “All slaves are free.”

Let that sink in. Two years of silence. Two years of forced labor. Two years of waiting for a freedom already promised. That delay, that injustice, tells a bigger truth about this country – that freedom for Black Americans has always been a battle, not a gift.

But still – we rose.

Juneteenth, a blend of “June” and “nineteenth,” is now the longest-running Black holiday in American history. It started in Texas in 1866 with community gatherings, church services, prayers, food, and freedom songs. And it’s still going strong – now recognized in all 50 states and finally, as of 2021, a federal holiday.

Right here in Jackson, our history is woven into that same thread of faith, struggle, and survival. And no place embodies that more than Holy Ghost Catholic Church.

Founded in 1899, Holy Ghost is more than a building – it’s a legacy. For generations, this church has served as a pillar of Black Catholic life, not only in Mississippi, but in the entire South. It was one of the few spaces where Catholics could worship with dignity during Jim Crow. It was a sight of resistance, education, healing, and most of all, hope.

In the 1960s Holy Ghost was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, opening its doors for meetings, voter drives, and spiritual refuge. We stood as a voice for justice, guided by the Holy Spirit and by a belief that Black lives are sacred.

As someone who grew up in this church – someone who sees both Black and white in her reflection – I carry these stories with me. Being biracial in America is complex, but Juneteenth gives me clarity. It tells me I don’t have to split myself in two. I can embrace all of who I am – fully, freely – because of the bravery and love of those who fought before me.

And make no mistake: Juneteenth is not just about the past. It’s about today – about the conversations we have in our homes, the prayers we lift in our churches, the work we do in our communities.

We celebrate red foods and drinks on Juneteenth – red velvet cake, strawberry soda – to honor the blood that was shed for our freedom. We wave the Juneteenth flag, red, white, and blue – because even when America didn’t treat us as citizens, we still believed in the promise of freedom.

We honor Black veterans, community leaders, artists, and educators. We tell the truth to our children – not just about slavery, but about resilience, brilliance, and the power of faith.

And today, we remember that freedom is still unfolding. It lives in our voting rights. It lives in economic equality. It lives in criminal justice reform, in education, in how we care for our elders and raise our youth. Juneteenth is a time to rejoice – yes – but also a time to recommit.

As Scripture reminds us in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” This message isn’t just spiritual. It’s personnel. It’s communal.

So today, I ask us to do three things: 

1. Honor the past. Say the names. Tell the stories. Visit the places. Teach the truth.

2. Live the present with purpose. Support Black businesses, uplift Black voices, stand up when it counts – even when it’s uncomfortable.

3. Inspire the future. Make sure the next generation knows that they are powerful, believed, and born for freedom – not fear.

I am here today because my ancestors endured. Because they prayed, they fought, and they loved anyway. And in this holy place – this sacred church that helped carry our people through centuries of hardship – I honor them.

So let us carry Juneteenth not just in our calendars, but in our hearts.

Let us remember: Freedom delayed is not freedom denied; Justice may be slow, but God’s promises never fail; and the fire of the Holy Spirit still burns – in our praise, in our protest, in our purpose.

Happy Juneteenth, family. Let freedom ring – not just on June 19, but every single day. 

Thank you, and may God bless you.

Dajia Williams is a 2025 graduate from Mississippi State University, with a major in psychology.