And Nothing Bad Ever Happened Again

Today is the federally recognized day commemorating Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Emancipation Day. It is the oldest known commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States and has been an African American tradition since the late 19th century. 

 

On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation declaring, "all persons held as slaves within any States, or designated part of the State, the people whereof shall be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free."

 

Which was the end of slavery and racism and nothing bad ever happened again.

 

Except….

 

June 19, 1865, two and half frickin’ years later, Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger led  Union soldiers to Galveston, Texas with news that the war was over and the slaves there were free.

 

OK, NOW racism is over forever and nothing bad ever happened again.

 

Except….

 

Everything else.

Nearly 200 years after Lincoln freed the slaves, we're still having to schlep ourselves out to somewhere in this country because someone is being denied the basic rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because of the color of their skin. 

It's the 21st century and we should be better than that. We are not.  

Just last week I read of a young African American couple who are having a house built and went out to go see the progress on their new home. Long story short, the couple ended up in handcuffs after a nosy neighbor called the cops after seeing a couple of black people poking around where they ain't got no business being.  

It all got sorted out when the couple's realtor came out and convinced the police their story was true and the construction site was indeed their home. 

Welcome to the neighborhood,folks.

This is not a tale from 1953 or 1963 but from 2023. 

That is not right. 

But this is why remembering Juneteenth is important, to remember that for whatever gain is achieved, there is still one more damn battle to fight.  

Certain conservatives are adverse to learning about race in America because they want you to think that Lincoln freed the slaves and BAM! Life has been good ever since. 

Juneteenth is a stark reminder that the battle for freedom and equality is ongoing. Whenever anyone is left out of the equation of "freedom and justice for all", when anyone's rights are infringed for the color of their skin or for any other reason, the work is never done.