Could a celebration of freedom become a battlefield for history’s memory? On June 19, 2025, former President Joe Biden took to the pulpit at a historic church in Galveston, Texas, to mark Juneteenth with a speech that took aim at President Donald Trump.
CBS News reported that at the Reedy Chapel AME Church, Biden spoke during a Juneteenth Celebration Service, reflecting on the end of slavery while criticizing efforts to supposedly downplay or erase chapters of American history, alongside a subtle dig at President Trump.
The Reedy Chapel AME Church holds a sacred spot in history as one of the places where, on June 19, 1865, the news of slavery’s end in Texas was proclaimed, over two years after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Biden called Galveston “the city where freedom rang out 160 years ago,” in a nod to an important era of American history that has become increasingly politicized.
“The events of Juneteenth are of monumental importance to America’s story,” Biden declared. And yet, one wonders if every American story gets the same reverence—or if some are selectively edited for comfort.
Biden didn’t shy away from touting his achievement in this saga. In 2021, he signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, turning June 19 into a federal holiday, the first of its kind since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983.
But not everyone’s on board with the holiday’s prominence. Biden noted, “Still today, some say to me and you that this doesn’t deserve to be a federal holiday.” It’s a subtle jab, but the implication is clear: history’s value isn’t universal in today’s political climate.
Speaking of history, Biden pointed to “ongoing efforts to erase history from our textbooks and our classrooms.” That’s a loaded statement, and it’s hard not to see it as a critique of policies that seem more about sanitizing the past than understanding it—a trend conservatives often argue prioritizes feelings over facts.
Biden also brought up his administration’s push to rename military bases once honoring Confederate officers, a congressional mandate that saw these bases rededicated to non-Confederate veterans with matching surnames. It’s a clever compromise, but Biden lamented moves to reverse it, asking, “What are we doing now? Reinstating those names.”
While he didn’t name names, Biden’s reference to “this guy” in the context of reversing base names felt like a veiled shot at President Trump. Trump’s administration, after all, did push to restore those original Confederate titles, a move many conservatives might defend as preserving tradition over progressive rebranding.
Trump himself wasn’t silent on Juneteenth, having recognized it in prior years but commenting on June 19, 2025, that the U.S. has “too many non-working holidays.” It’s a fair point for those who worry about productivity slipping with every new day off, though it risks dismissing the symbolic weight of such observances.
Back at the Galveston service, the local touch was evident when Mayor Craig Brown handed Biden a plaque for his role in elevating Juneteenth to federal status.
Brown even said, “I still consider our special guest, President Joe Biden, as my president.” It’s a warm gesture, though some might see it as a partisan pat on the back in a deeply divided era.
Biden’s speech circled back to a somber tone with, “Darkness can hide much but can erase nothing.” It’s a powerful line, but one could argue that selectively spotlighting history’s shadows while ignoring its triumphs risks the same kind of erasure he decries.
Ultimately, Biden’s Galveston appearance was less a celebration and more a call to arms over how we remember the past. While his points on history’s integrity resonate, the risk of weaponizing it for political gain looms large. Let’s honor Juneteenth, sure, but let’s not forget that history isn’t a scoreboard for today’s culture wars.