This post was guest authored by Racial & Economic Justice attorney and practice area leader Joe Richardson. Joe is a seasoned litigator, a frequent public speaker on civil rights and ethical responsibility, and an adjunct professor of law at LaVerne College of Law.
A Legacy of Change
Officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, the USA’s annual Juneteenth celebration honors the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, Union Troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed its citizens that slavery was over in Texas — two full years after the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared an end to slavery, had been signed.
As an attorney, the legacy of Juneteenth affects all the work I do, because it is a reminder of the fact that though there have been steps taken toward equality, there is still much left to be done. Though battles have been won, the fight for equality and justice never truly ends.
Working Toward Equality
In my Racial and Economic Justice and Employment Law practice, I regularly see cases that evoke the lengths — and limitations — of Juneteenth’s legacy.
Over the decades of my career, I’ve handled lawsuits where folks experienced a hostile work environment or workplace harassment due to a protected category, such as race, gender, or disability. I’ve seen clients who are afraid to speak up in the face of such harassment, for fear of retaliation and further negative treatment. And I’ve worked closely with these individuals to push back on these inequities.
Whether explicitly racially motivated or not, harassment or discrimination of any kind — in the form of unfair hiring and firing practices, unequal treatment, or an unsafe work or school environment — run directly counter to the freedoms Juneteenth should represent.
Law Firms Join the Fight
The attorneys at McCune Law Group strive to be at the forefront of protecting American freedoms while pursuing our country’s highest values, which include equality and fidelity to the Constitution. We do that through litigation, across all our practice areas.
When we take on battles related to discrimination or advocate for people who have been treated unfairly by powerful institutions, we stay on the forefront of justice by continuing to remind all that fair and equal treatment for is a commitment that goes to the very heart of our nation.
In the litigation process, we seek not only to advocate fiercely for our clients, but to create a better work environment, a better society, and therefore a better country. This is our way of helping to achieve that “more perfect union” spoken about by our forebears.
Honoring and Educating
Today, individuals across the nation can take the opportunity to reflect on what the legacy of Juneteenth means for them in this moment. While some may have personal or familial connections to the lasting impact of American slavery, others may have more work to do to educate themselves about one of the most backwards periods in our nation’s history — while celebrating the strides forward taken 160 years ago, and those that we still must take even now.
For myself, I know Juneteenth will be a day spent honoring the efforts of groups like the Freedmen’s Bureau, which helped many newly freed men and women acclimate to life after slavery, and recalling the tremendous work of our Civil Rights Movement, which furthered so many of the protections African Americans could only dream of in 1865.
Even once the Juneteenth parades are over and the Juneteenth flags rolled away, I urge everyone to carry the spirit of Juneteenth forward with them into the resumption of day-to-day life. As I continue to litigate cases on behalf of clients who deserve to receive the fullest protection under the law, I am motivated by the legacy of the long fight for emancipation, and the tale of Union troops riding into Galveston, bringing joyous news, on what we now call Freedom Day
Moving Forward, Looking Back
Juneteenth is just one significant day, but we should reckon with its legacy year-round. The struggles and the successes of those who came before us inspire me in all the work I do. Whether I am pursuing an employment discrimination case, fighting for racial and economic equality, or pushing for change in my local community, the legacy of Juneteenth, and the possibilities of freedom that it represents, is alive in the never-ending pursuit of justice.
To learn more about Joe’s Racial & Economic Justice work, visit his profile or call (909) 757-1812 today.