KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new survey shows this Fourth of July weekend, Americans are not as excited to celebrate the holiday.
A recent Pew Research Centersurvey showed 83% of Americans were not proud of the current state of the nation. According to a WalletHub poll, almost one in three Americans feel less patriotic this year.
Some of that is due to the pandemic. Usually there are parties, barbecues and large gatherings happening over the Fourth of July. This year, however, those plans have shifted for many. Health officials are urging people to social distance and stay home for the holiday.
Economic recessions and the recent protests surrounding racial injustice are other reasons that people may be feeling less patriotic this year, according to the survey.
"While we want to have a party and celebrate Independence Day as a nation, there's still promises that were made to African Americans even after the Civil War; we were made promises to get our 40 acres and a mule to get what we were due for our labor, that helped make America great," JuneteenthKC program director Makeda Peterson said. "I think this is the opportunity to highlight that to say, 'hey, we want to join the party too, but we can't do that unless we acknowledge all the history that is American history.'"
Peterson said it's important to have a happy medium, but also an understanding of history.
"I think the Fourth of July is still a part of African American history too because we were a part of the Civil War," Peterson said. "We were part of the process to become liberated as Americans, but there's still the African side of the story as well that can't be lost and forgotten again."
She said it's important to acknowledge the Fourth of July.
"Again, we did not want to be under rule of a monarchy, we wanted to be under a democratic nation, but there were still things that were promised to African Americans and after that day of liberation on the Fourth of July, there were still things that were happening to slaves, servants and even the last 50 to 100 years," Peterson said. "We still have to do work here in America."
"I just think with the education that's continuously happening, there's also what are we going to do next," she added. "What are we going to do to make things to follow through with promises that were made to make everyone feel like America is a part of their own too?"
