Huntsville, AL –While we were celebrating Juneteenth a few days ago, there were lots of things to read about that are associated with this “now” National Holiday. It was interesting to see that some celebrations for many years featured strawberry soda and red velvet cake to symbolize the blood that was shed by the slaves.
As we celebrate this day, a day that Black Americans have been celebrating before it became a National Holiday, we should not let the symbolism of the day become a substitute for the work that needs to continue to take place. Never forget there are still a lot of White Americans who are really upset with this new law. There is no surprise that the GOP Representatives from Alabama voted against it. The reasons they gave for their vote are laughable but are taken to heart by most Alabamians. GOP Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina said that the vote “was an easy no vote” and questioned if a holiday would now have to be established for Native Americans as well.
If I were asked I would say yes. I would point to “The Trail of Tears”, where nearly 125,000 Native Americans lived on millions of acres of land in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida. Working on behalf of white settlers who wanted to grow cotton on this land, the Federal Government forced them to leave their homelands and walk hundreds of miles to a specially designated “Indian Territory” which is now the State of Oklahoma. These were people of color who were forced to walk through North Alabama (Huntsville) and other parts of the South because their land was stolen by White America. This is another part of the History of America that some Americans are afraid to have taught. They will never admit that this country was built for White Americans with free labor (Slaves) and has contributed to white wealth.
The truth is hard to face, but when you do, you won’t have to be looking over your shoulder wondering when your lie will be exposed.