Juneteenth Should Elevate, Not Obscure, African-American Heroism

Before George Floyd was murdered, I had never heard of this man, Gordon Granger, this white union soldier who announced to enslaved people in Texas that they had been freed. Now, I see his name in every post, video, and news story about Juneteenth. And seeing it disturbs the fierce pride I’ve always felt as the holiday approaches. Making Granger a central figure in Juneteenth obscures the agency of our Black ancestors in bringing about the end of slavery. As the day gains national prominence, I’m afraid it will become another vehicle for…