Public Health As It Relates to Racial Equity and Social Justice
Saving Our Legacy, African Americans for Smoke Free Safe Places celebrates Juneteenth!
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863.
Although we are celebrating the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, racism still enslaves African Americans. Acknowledging that murder of Black people has been legal, enforced, supported, or largely ignored by most, including White Americans, can no longer be overlooked. Racism is a negative outcome that impacts social determinants of health just as much as housing, education, healthcare access, food insecurity, and employment) and is a barrier to health equity.
To read more or SOL Project's position statement on Public Health as it relates to racial equity and social justice, download the full PDF below.