Pallone Says Cancellation of Edison Juneteenth Event Latest Example of Trump-Era Censorship

Washington, DC - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement in response to the cancellation of a NAACP Juneteenth celebration in Edison, New Jersey-an annual event scrapped due to fear of violating a Trump-era executive order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion:

"Who could blame organizations that depend on federal funding for trying to avoid the wrath of a spiteful Trump administration that sees diversity and inclusion not as cornerstones of our democracy, but as threats to be eliminated?" Pallone said. "This is the same administration that tried to erase Jackie Robinson's triumphs and downplay the heroism of the Navajo Code Talkers. Trump and his cronies have proven themselves to be small, fragile people-unwilling to embrace the full story of America, including the emancipation of enslaved people that we honor on Juneteenth."

"Let's be clear: ignoring history doesn't heal this country-it weakens it," Pallone continued. "The public deserves to know exactly what's happening here-a coordinated national effort by Donald Trump and his cronies to erase truth, suppress inclusion, and rewrite American history."

"We at the NAACP are being forced to relocate our Annual Juneteenth Festival from federal grounds simply because it could be seen as a DEI initiative and risk retaliation under the Trump Administration's agenda. That's not just unacceptable-it's dangerous," said Reggie Johnson, President of the Metuchen Edison Piscataway Area Branch of the NAACP.

Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the United States, became a federal holiday with bipartisan support in Congress in 2021.