Juneteenth Thoughts: Emotional Reparations
Juneteenth marks a milestone in American history: On June 19, 1865 enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas were finally informed of their freedom, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. While July 4th is celebrated as the nation’s independence, Juneteenth reminds us of a delayed freedom and the long shadow of slavery that has yet to be fully acknowledged or repaired.
In recent years, the word “reparations” has become more widely discussed in political and social spaces. Reparations refer to the act of making amends for wrongs or harm done – through financial payments, land, education, and more. For Black Americans, reparations are often framed as compensation for centuries of unpaid labor, stolen wealth, and exclusion from systems meant to build generational success.
Occasionally I find myself reflecting on what reparations could, should, look like. I started this back in college, inspired by what I was learning in my African American Studies courses. The more I learned, the longer the list became – housing, education, healthcare, money, etc. But recently, I’ve been thinking more about emotional reparations. Because reparations cannot only be financial. That would not tell the whole story. That would be skipping over the psychological and spiritual toll that generations of Black people have endured. Financial restitution definitely matters – but so does the healing of the heart, the mind, and the soul.
Slavery in the United States lasted from 1619 until it was legally abolished in 1865 with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment. That is over 240 years of dehumanization, state-sanctioned violence, and dismantling of Black identity and culture. These effects then carried into Reconstruction, Jim Crow, redlining, the war on drugs, and modern forms of racism. These experiences continue to live in our bodies, in our families, and in our collective psyche.
This is what we call generational trauma – the transmission of pain, fear, and survival strategies across generations. You see it in the way some people have learned to suppress emotion to stay safe. In the deep anxiety around financial instability. In the hypervigilance in public spaces. In the silence about mental health. In the pressure to be twice as good to be seen as equal. These behaviors are not random. They are survival tools inherited from people who had to endure the unimaginable.
Emotional reparations go beyond making Juneteenth a federal holiday. It would involve acknowledging and addressing the psychological wounds caused by centuries of racial injustice. Emotional reparations can take many forms but at its core, it centers reclaiming our right to feel, to grieve, to rest, to connect, and to thrive.
And let’s be honest: if we are waiting on the same systems that caused the harm to offer full and meaningful reparations — financially, emotionally, and structurally — we may be waiting for a very long time.... And we cannot put our healing on hold. We have to find ways to reclaim wholeness for ourselves and for our communities, regardless of what the powers that be choose to give.
Here are several ways Black Americans can continue our work towards emotional reparation:
Prioritize Mental Health
Therapy with a culturally competent provider can be a transformative tool for unpacking trauma. EMDR, somatic work, and talk therapy all create space to process generational patterns and build new ones rooted in safety and self-worth.
Name and Validate Generational Trauma
A big part of healing is telling your story. Get curious about the patterns you see. Validate the pain your ancestors carried and how it may show up in you today.
Connect with Your Ancestors
Learn your family history if you can. Reflect on your ancestors’ strengths – what admirable qualities did they exude that you can draw from to reach your present-day goals? Emotional reparations include acknowledging not only the pain but the power that lives in our lineage. Learn from their stories, their faith, and their contributions to your family’s legacy.
Their resilience is part of your inheritance.
Rest as Resistance
Rest is not laziness.
Rest is a radical act in a world that told our ancestors their worth was only in what they could produce. Encourage your friends and loved ones to rest, especially when you notice they are drained or burned out. Remind them (and yourself!) that rest is not something we earn. It is something we deserve. Rest says, “I am enough as I am.”
In choosing rest, we reject the lie that we are only valuable when we are working, and embrace the truth – that we are worthy of care, ease, and peace simply because we exist.
Reclaim Joy and Celebration
Joy is sacred. Black joy in the face of historical and ongoing harm is a form of resistance and restoration. Make time for what fills you up – whether it is dancing, community, music, faith, or art.
Educate and Empower Future Generations
Healing includes breaking the silence. Talk with your children or younger relatives about mental health. Teach them how to name their feelings, ask for help, and hold pride in their identity. That is emotional wealth passed down.
Support Our Community – the Black Community
So much of slavery was built on separation. Emotional reparations include reconnecting with one another and showing up with love. Support Black-owned businesses. Celebrate Black art and creativity. Encourage each other. Uplift the people around you.
And remember: our community is not a monolith. Recognize privilege within the Black community and stand in solidarity with those who are further marginalized like trans women, people with disabilities, and unhoused community members.
Liberation is collective.
As we honor Juneteenth, may we remember that liberation is not just about physical freedom. May we continue the work of repairing what was broken.
You deserve more than survival. You deserve healing. You deserve joy.
Ready to begin your healing journey?
At Courageous Counseling, we offer trauma-informed therapy that honors your story and helps you break free from generational patterns.
You do not have to do this work alone. Reach out to our team of therapists to schedule a consultation and take the next step forward.
