We don't have any holiday to celebrate the end of the Civil War. We have two days (VE and VJ Days) to commemorate the end of WWII, yet more Americans in total (~650,000 or so versus like 420,000 in WWII) and certainly more in terms relative to the actual population (4% of American males versus just 0.3% in WWII) died in the Civil War than in WWII. We should have a day that celebrates winning the Civil War and eradicating slavery, and it should be something that is more than just an African-America holiday. A lot of Americans died to correct the wrong that was slavery, and I'd argue that the Lost Cause movement may be the most successful, until recently, revisionist history movement in the world that didn't involve the Chinese (no one does revisionist history better than they do). A lot of lives were lost to fix the stain that was slavery in this country and we should acknowledge it and celebrate that slavery ended. I know you could argue what day it should fall on (Jan 1st for the Emancipation Proclamation, Feb 3rd for the date the 15th amendment was ratified are two other important dates) but I don't think we need to get wrapped up with the perfect date and since this one has been celebrated, on a much less scale and in much smaller circles, for as long as it has it works for me.
So with that said, Happy Juneteenth. Certainly an American holiday.
