Being black is so empowering
Refreshing
Nourishing
Because every time i look deep in my history, i find something even more amazing each time
Something to treasure
Something to celebrate about being black
Juneteenth is the black Independence Day
It has been called many many names such as Emancipation Day or Jubilee Day
But regardless, It is our national day of freedom
But The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the end of the cCivil war, did not free all slaves
Messages got lost
Not all where apprised of this news
180,000 too many of our ancestors were still slaves in Galveston Texas, in 1865
It was 2.5 years after the War, and little did they know, they were free
In 1866, the firstjuneteenth celebration happend right under the balcony of the Ashton Villa , the former quarters of the Confederates States of America
But even before then, 500,000-800,000 slaves of the 3.5 million, fought for freedom
Juneteenth is A day forever to be remembered
A symbol of what we lost and gained
Spirituals were sung
Joy bursting from their hearts as they danced
Freedom brought new found power
Having a choice was empowering
Some stayed, some stayed left
Many built communities to thrive and survive in
Time passed, and the glorious day was seen as “ un american” or “unpatriotic” by many of us
Juneteenth became an almost distant memory because surviving became more prominent
Mothers and Fathers were lynched in front of their children
Families where starving
No one knew if they were going to survive the next day
But the need to celebrate our black pride pushed through
150 years have gone by and we still celebrate this glorious day
Today we are the living proof of black excellence
The embodiment of pride
Kings and queens
Treasures
It is embedded in our history