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Is Juneteenth canceled? That’s the concern circulating on social media as users merge the national holiday with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and President Donald Trump’s initiative to remove identity politics from the federal government. June 19, however, celebrates the emancipation of slaves and is not meant to be a promotional tool for various races and so-called identities. But some are trying to morph the holiday into a celebration of “marginalized communities’ resistance while underscoring a troubling truth: the historical perpetuation and ongoing exacerbation of racism and queerphobia in the United States,” as the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Learning for Justice says on its website.

On June 19, 1865, General Order No. 3 was read aloud to the people in Galveston, TX – a decree by President Abraham Lincoln saying “all slaves are free.” Although the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed more than two years earlier, this was the first time the people in this area had heard about it. Texans began honoring Juneteenth the following year, and little by little, the tradition migrated to other parts of the South.

In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill declaring June 19 a federal holiday, but not everyone was in agreement. Some Republicans argued that it would cost too much for a historical event with which few were familiar. Then-Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) voted against the holiday, saying it would result in $1 billion in lost productivity.

In a 2020 YouGov poll, 70% of white people and 49% of black people said they had never celebrated the holiday. “However,” the organization found, “nearly half the public, including three in 10 Black Americans (31%), admit they had not known about Juneteenth until this year.”

Also known as Freedom Day, Black Fourth of July, Emancipation Day, and Second Independence Day, Juneteenth was supposed to celebrate the freedom of slaves. It was wildly popular during the days of George Floyd and the return of Black Lives Matter, but this year, some celebrations are being canceled. Indianapolis, IN, Bend, OR, and Plano, IL, according to Newsweek, have canceled Juneteenth activities because, “[t]hough President Donald Trump’s administration is not directly connected to the cancelations [sic], some organizers said they were cancelling [sic] events due to the political climate since Trump’s return to office.”

Planners in Bend, OR, cited “an increasingly volatile political climate” in a statement to explain why they had canceled this year’s celebration.

HuffPost put the blame on “[canceled] federal grants and businesses moving away from so-called brand activism,” claiming they “have hit the bottom line of events marking the end of slavery in the U.S.” Furthermore, many companies are severing ties with LGBTQ celebrations, the outlet said.

While DEI changes have likely impacted many of the celebrations planned nationwide, they are not the only reason. Corporations “treated Juneteenth like a trend,” one planner told HuffPost. “Once the media spotlight faded, so did the money.” BET said support for the holiday has dwindled in just four short years, and “[o]ne organizer noted that securing sponsors now feels like ‘pulling teeth,’ with companies either ignoring requests or offering a fraction of their original contributions.”