Just because the New England Patriots aren't currently together doesn't mean they're not unified.
While they embark on a six-week hiatus of organized activities before the start of training camp July 27 in Foxboro, Patriots players took time over the weekend to enjoy Father's Day and to produce a video sharing their thoughts about Juneteenth.
The holiday is a day for celebration and remembrance tied closely to the abolition of slavery in the United States. The date of June 19 marks the emancipation of slaves in the Confederate States in 1865, following the end of the Civil War.
In honor of the holiday, the the Patriots teamed up with students from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School in Dorchester in a video explaining what Juneteenth means to them:
Said special teams player Justin Bethel, "For me, it’s a celebration of unity. All the slaves were unified in their freedom.”
Bethel went on to stress the importance of unity, both on a personal as well as a national level.
“It becoming a federal holiday, I think is a step in the right direction,” said cornerback Myles Bryant. “I think it’s very important for everybody to get out there and celebrate; not only exclusive to Black people, but whether you’re Hispanic, White, Asian, whatever it may be, just go out there and celebrate it.”
While the Patriots organization itself has not released a statement on the holiday this year, it did so back in 2020 amid social unrest following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Two years later, it still holds true.
Read that statement:
“We often say ‘We are all Patriots’ and with a team name like Patriots, it’s important we represent all patriots. Black history IS American history. Our football team is predominantly comprised of Black men, who are people before they are players, and black lives must matter on and off the football field. We cannot simply ‘stick to football’ without acknowledging race and celebrating Juneteenth, the national commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.”
While slavery still legally existed until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment on December 6 of the same year, Juneteenth still marks a pivotal point in the fight for freedom. It officially becoming a federal holiday in 2021 was therefore a recognition of the men, women and children who lived through and were freed from the institution of slavery.
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