JUNETEENTH...an Amer-Afrikan Liberation Celebration...festivities are held on the 19th of JUNE...but for these past few years...celebrations are held throughout the month, if not through the year...This HOLY DAY commerates GENERAL GORDON GRANGER'S announcement of AFRIKAN SLAVERY's official end in these UNITED STATES...Supported in this dangerous task (assigned by A. Lincoln) by regiments of YANKEE SOLDIERS of COLOR...they went 'way down south in Dixie'...up to the very gates of plantations and concentration camps often very, very far off the main thoroughfares...their assignment was to read the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION to the illiterate captives...in the presence of the captors who generally regarded any one of Afrikan descent as PROPERTY... often at gun point...The declaration was made in Texas more than two years after the President delivered the speech (1 January 1863) inwhich he enforced legislation which freed ALL captive and enslaved people in the United States and all rebellious territories...
It is well documented...on New Year's Eve...31 January1862...Large numbers of free and runaway Amer*Afrikans in the Northern United States gathered...Those 1st Emancipation Parties were held usually in churches...and we now celebrate Juneteenth in a time honored tradition which connects us to those who anxiously, though patiently awaited Lincoln's reading of the PROCLAMATION...it was 1st transmitted over the then state of art communication system...the telegraph...print media, being non-electronic took a second though very viable seat...enabling General Granger to formally and literally introduce freedom to many captives in Dixie..."You are free!"
That is to say, hundreds of thousands of the captive's ears were privileged to finally hear the freedom framing words of the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. Oral Histories document, many hundreds held in bondage were never made aware of THE JUBILEE. Many resistant captors simply refused to set the captives free...many plantations were inaccessible to the troups or were never visited.
IGNORANCE NOT BEING BLISS...it is documented, hundreds were never told of their new legal status, many lived long lives in forced captivity. Many died being isolated, remaining illiterate, being forcibly bound by economic and legal systems which justified systematic oppression by virtue of rancid terrorism and Jim Crow Laws.
...and so we count down the years of "FREEDOM"...and we celebrate JUNETEENTH as the victory of REVELATION...the blessing of TENACITY...the joy of LOVE SUPREME!
This year...it will be excellent for us all to consider giving concerted thanks, praise and honor to those bold free beings who rode with Granger...The Free and Captive Freedom Fighters of Color...THOSE AMER*AFRIKAN SOLDIERS...those future BUFFALO SOLDIERS...those ANCESTORS whose courage, strength and valor caused the UNITED STATES to finally know victory in the bloodiest war possibly of all time...the CIVIL WAR.
On 1 January 1980, JUNETEENTH became an official state holiday in Texas...due to the legislative persistence of State Representative, Al Edwards...Consequently, people of Afrikan descent...and others...celebrate globally the 1st state recognized FREEDOM CELEBRATION...We strive by process and example to follow the suit of Representative Al Edwards...to cause JUNETEENTH to be fully sanctioned as a UNITED STATES of AMERICA NATIONAL (HOLY) HOLIDAY.
We are so very blessed, as JUNETEENTH increases in it's recognition as a historically viable GLOBAL FREEDOM CELEBRATION...We commit to celebrate not only during the month of June...The ULTRA YOUth! INTERGENERATIONAL Agri CULTURAL Arts COOPERATIVE COMMUNIVERSITY dedicatedly commits to respectfully celebrate ALL FREEDOMS for ALL COMMUNITIES...ALL WAYS!
IT IS IN EXACTING WELLORDER...We must give respectful HONOR to the dedicatedly courageous CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH made by GENERAL GRANGER and his COMRADES in ARMS...THOSE AMER*AFRIKAN SOLDIERS OF GLORY...THE UNEQUIVOCAL FREEDOM FIGHTERS...that unsung battalion of JUSTICE SEEKERS / MAKERS whose heroic trek ended only when THE RECONSTRUCTION ACT was rescended by PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN's successor...Vice President Johnson ...WE must celebrate JUNETEENTH...no matter our race, color or creed...as we have open opportunity to be the NEW DAY FREEDOM FIGHTERS...MARCHING on to even GREATER HEIGHTS of much deserved LIBERATION!
Asante' sana...thank YOU very much!
