Bill Nye “the science” guy got a history lesson from social media users for posting that slavery “officially” ended on Juneteenth.
“The United States we know today was built with the labor of enslaved Black Americans. The last were not freed (officially) until 19 June 1865. Let us celebrate— and never forget,” Nye captioned a photo of himself holding a pocket-sized version of the Constitution on Sunday.
The United States we know today was built with the labor of enslaved Black Americans. The last were not freed (officially) until 19 June 1865. Let us celebrate— and never forget. pic.twitter.com/AtfgkoZ3FN
— Bill Nye (@BillNye) June 19, 2022
Twitter pundits were quick to disprove his statement about the holiday as misinformation, as the Emancipation Proclamation, the document that officially freed African American slaves, wasn’t ratified until December of 1865.
They also pointed out that the holiday commemorates the anniversary of June 19, 1865, the day that Union Army general Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to enforce emancipation of the slaves and oversee post-Civil War Reconstruction of the Confederate South.
“Dec 6, 1865. That’s when the 13th Amendment went into effect and slavery in Delaware and Kentucky also ended. Read that thing you’re holding up,” one replier shot back.
“That is actually not true. The last in the rebel states were made aware today in 1865. Delaware held people enslaved until the ratification of the 13th. Native tribes did so until 1866. The 13th kept a loophole for slavery as punishment for a crime,” another added.
“He’s as much of a historian as he is a scientist. And makes up just as much nonsense for both subjects. It’s almost amazing how wrong he constantly is,” jeered one Twitter comedian.
“Please open that and let us what date the 13th amendment was ratified into the constitution that ended slavery once and for all,” another mocked. “Hint: it’s not June 19th…..”
One person took aim at Nye for trying to “score woke points” with the botched post. “And we want to move on from that as black people. We have knights like you are to thank for keeping the pain alive since we are incapable of doing it ourselves,” they wrote. “We want to thrive today. Stop holding this over us to score woke points. Move on bruh.”
Nye admitted his error on Monday. “Getting the facts right is important,” he shared in a follow-up post. “I want to thank my followers for pointing out that Juneteenth did not mark the end of slavery. It was a milestone on the long road to freedom and a day chosen to celebrate and reflect.”
Getting the facts right is important. I want to thank my followers for pointing out that Juneteenth did not mark the end of slavery. It was a milestone on the long road to freedom and a day chosen to celebrate and reflect.
— Bill Nye (@BillNye) June 20, 2022
wpDiscuz
Then why celebrate ‘Juneteenth’?? Shouldn’t the holiday be on Dec 6th??