Speaking at Galveston’s historic Reedy Chapel AME Church, former President Joe Biden defended Juneteenth as a federal holiday. It condemned ongoing attempts to erase America’s history, appearing to take swipes at his successor.
Former President Joe Biden delivered a strong critique of “ongoing efforts to erase history” during a Juneteenth Celebration Service Thursday at the historic Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Galveston, Texas — seemingly directing pointed remarks at his successor, President Trump.
Biden addressed the audience from a historic location where the 1865 proclamation marking the conclusion of slavery in Texas was announced, referring to Galveston as “the city where freedom rang out 160 years ago.” He shared the moment he signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2021, marking the creation of the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
“The significance of Juneteenth is profound in the narrative of America,” Biden conveyed to the gathering. “Even now, there are those who tell me and you that this should not be recognized as a federal holiday.” They prefer to forget the ethical blemish of slavery.
Biden appeared to allude to Trump indirectly on two occasions. He criticized efforts to erase history, mentioning “this guy” before crossing himself, which elicited laughter. He also addressed the movement to restore Confederate names at military bases, questioning, “What are we doing now?” Bringing back those names.
He pointed out that throughout his time in office, bases were renamed to pay tribute to non-Confederate veterans who shared the same last names, in accordance with a congressional directive. “Darkness can conceal a lot but cannot obliterate anything,” Biden stated, highlighting the importance of acknowledging the entirety of America’s past.
Numerous community leaders recognized Biden's contribution to making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Galveston Mayor Craig Brown honored him with a plaque, referring to him as “my president,” which was met with enthusiastic applause.
In a recent statement, President Trump, who has acknowledged Juneteenth in the past, expressed his view that the U.S. has “too many non-working holidays,” positioning his comments against President Biden’s advocacy for new federal observances.
