Juneteenth recognizes the freeing of slaves after the Civil War. Most specifically, it memorializes the date when Federal troops informed slaves in Galveston Texas on June 19, 1865, that they were free. It is a celebration of freedom and equality. And it is a celebration of the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality for all.
Juneteenth
We are an aspirational nation. In July 1776, we boldly declared that “all men are created equal“ even if that did not include women and people of color. But we would move towards that goal. We fought a war to end slavery (no revisionist history to gild that fight with other motives.) The Civil War ended slavery, but the struggle continued led by heroic and visionary individuals and through marches, protests, political campaigns, policy and legislative changes until 100 years later we produced the Civil Rights and Voting Acts.
Juneteenth celebrates freedom for Black Americans. It celebrates what we have achieved in our march towards equality. And it recognizes the work to be done.
John’s Crazy Socks and Juneteenth
Juneteenth is also a recognition of inclusion, that all people should be at the table to make decisions and share in the fruits of those decisions.
We have witnessed through John and our colleagues, the pain when people with differing abilities are denied equal rights and basic human rights. Like the struggle for equality for Black Americans, we have achieved much in guaranteeing equality for people with a disability, but we have far to go.
John’s Crazy Socks is committed to inclusion. We celebrate the victories and do our part in the push for equality. Every day, we work to show what people with differing abilities can achieve. We do that through our hiring. We do that through our efforts to share the power of inclusion through our tours, workgroups, podcasts, and speaking engagements.
We close for Juneteenth to recognize the importance of the holiday. To pause in recognition of the meaning of this holiday. We close for Juneteenth because this matters.
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks—what he calls his “crazy socks.” He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission of Spreading Happiness™. With more than 4,000 socks, John’s Crazy Socks is now the world’s largest sock store. More than half their employees have a differing ability, and their Giving Back program has raised over $750,000 for charity partners like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Autism Society of America. Most of all, we are Spreading Happiness™.
