Former President Joe Biden marked Juneteenth at a historic church in Galveston, Texas, criticizing what he called ongoing efforts to erase U.S. history while indirectly referencing his successor, President Donald Trump.
Biden spoke Wednesday at Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where Union troops first read General Order No. 3 in 1865, formally ending slavery in Texas more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Biden called Galveston “the city where freedom rang out 160 years ago” and said Juneteenth remains central to the nation’s story.
What did Biden say about efforts to erase history?
During his remarks, Biden recalled signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act in 2021, which made June 19 a federal holiday. He emphasized that some still question the holiday’s significance, saying, “They don’t want to remember … the moral stain of slavery.” The legislation passed Congress with broad bipartisan support, becoming the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
He criticized what he described as ongoing attempts to remove historical truths from textbooks and classrooms. At one point, while referencing these efforts, he alluded to Trump without naming him directly, saying “this guy” and making the sign of the cross, drawing laughter from the audience.
Biden also took aim at recent moves to reverse decisions made during his administration to rename military bases that previously honored Confederate officers. “What are we doing now? Reinstating those names,” he said, referring to Trump’s push to restore some of the bases’ original names.
How did Trump acknowledge Juneteenth this year?
Trump, who recognized Juneteenth during his first term, made no public remarks or proclamations on the holiday this year. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday that Trump had no Juneteenth proclamation planned.
Later that evening, Trump posted on his social media platform, criticizing the growing number of federal holidays.
“It is costing our country billions of dollars to keep all of these businesses closed,” he wrote.
While federal offices close for Juneteenth, most private businesses remain open.
How has Trump’s approach to Juneteenth changed over time?
During his first term, Trump regularly issued statements recognizing Juneteenth’s historical significance. But in 2020, he faced sharp criticism after scheduling a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for June 19. Tulsa was the site of the 1921 massacre in the city’s Black Wall Street district. Trump postponed the event after backlash, later claiming he had made Juneteenth “very famous.”
After losing the 2020 election, Trump said he would make Juneteenth a federal holiday, but the legislation was passed under Biden. Early in his second term, Trump also signed an executive order ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs across federal agencies, calling them “illegal and immoral discrimination programs.”
What else has Biden done to mark Juneteenth?
Throughout his presidency, Biden has issued annual Juneteenth proclamations and hosted celebratory concerts at the White House. Last year’s event featured performances by Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle and gospel singer Kirk Franklin, with Vice President Kamala Harris joining onstage.
This year, Biden chose to observe the holiday in Galveston, returning to the origins of the holiday’s history.
contributed to this report.