June 17, 2021

By: Katrina Hasan Hamilton & Najmah Brown, African American Muslim Insight Council 

Washington, D.C. | archive.mpac.org | June 17, 2021 | It is great to hear that President Biden has passed the Juneteenth Bill, which has created a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States of America.

However, in 2021, over 156 years following emancipation, African Americans represent 13.2% of the total population in the US but are 23.8% of the poverty population, have an unemployment rate of 9.9% and currently make up about 33% of the population of Americans incarcerated in prison.

African Americans fared much better in terms of employment, home ownership and education during the early 1900s versus today. The reason why is deeply connected with policy and legislation that has disproportionately impacted the African American community, which resulted in high poverty, mass incarceration, poor education, unemployment and other social issues.

With the passing of the Juneteenth Bill, I hope it creates a domino effect of the passage of other very necessary legislation to repair the African American community for once and for all.

On Behalf of MPAC’s African American Muslim Insight Council,

Sr Katrina Hamilton Hasan, Educator
Sr Khulood Madany, CPA
Sr Najmah Brown, Attorney
Imam Abu Qadir Al-Amin