First, I would like to wish all the fathers out there a Happy Father’s Day.
I also want to recognize the Black Employees Connecting team and the team from Health New England for being named as a finalist for the Ragan Corporate Social Responsibility & Diversity Awards for their work on programs for 2021 Juneteenth. The award “is dedicated to honoring communications work that is positively impacting communities, whether internally, locally or globally. The goal is to create programs and initiatives that make the world safer, healthier, more equitable and sustainable” www.ragan.com/awards/corporate-social-responsibility-diversity-awards/2022/
I worked with these great people on the 2021 campaign, and I am happy that they have continued the work for 2022. The winners will be announced next month.
Juneteenth
I have often been asked about Juneteenth. Many of the questions are round how to explain the significance of the day to their children. That is a great question that I hope I can help answer within this post.
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862. It stated that all people enslaved in the Confederacy (Those states the rebelled against the Union) would be free as of January 1, 1863. When Lincoln signed this proclamation, it changed the direction of the Civil War. It was not only a war to preserve the union but also to end the bonds of slavery.
The thought often is that when the proclamation was signed all slaves were freed but what really happened was it intensified the war. The Civil War did not end until 1865 almost 2 years after the signing by President Lincoln. Even after the surrender and the truce was signed news traveled slowly and battles continued until the news was delivered that the war was over.
Juneteenth (June 19th) is the day that federal troops went into Galveston, Texas in order to take over the running and control of the town and state and to emancipate (free) the slaves. It was over 2 years since the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation that slaves were finally free. It is considered the day African Americans celebrate their day of freedom from slavery.
I also believe that Juneteenth was the start of a continued journey for us to be recognized as an important and significant part of the growth and success of America. Although we are much further along than we were in 1865 there is still work to do and there are still mountains to climb.
What I would say to those who want to know how to explain Juneteenth to their children if it helps, please use this post but also take the time to teach them the valuable contributions Blacks have made in this country. Teach them to remember history so that they ensure it will not be repeated. Teach them to treat all people with dignity and last be that example for them and for others.
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey
Dignity Freedom Fighter 