The White House indirectly criticized Republicans who oppose the teaching of critical race theory in schools and support excluding from curricula what they describe as age-inappropriate books as it celebrates Juneteenth.
President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021 during the first year of his administration to mark both “the long and hard-fought fight against slavery and subjugation” and “a promise of a brighter morning to come,” according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
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“It’s not enough to just commemorate Juneteenth,” Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday on Air Force One. “Emancipation marked the beginning, not the end, of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It’s about remembering history, not erasing it. It is about reading books, not banning them.”
“To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must not rest until we deliver the promise of America for all Americans,” she added.
The White House also conveyed the president and first lady Jill Biden‘s condolences as the search continues for suspects behind the fatal shooting of one person during a Juneteenth celebration in Willowbrook, Illinois. Another 22 people were injured.
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“We have reached out to offer assistance to state and local leaders in the wake of this tragedy,” Jean-Pierre said.
Biden is en route to California for a climate change event with Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and fundraisers before next month’s financial disclosure deadline for his reelection campaign.
