When I was growing up, and for decades, I had never heard of Juneteenth. We always referred to June 19th as Emancipation Day even though, as I learned later, people were not truly freed on that day. That was really the Texas end of slavery. Guess everyone else decided to join the celebration. The proclamation was signed in January 1863 but didn’t technically end slavery, I believe. June 19th is celebrated when the last group of enslaved peoples was told they were free in Galveston Bay. Dec 1865 ratified the 13th Amendment, which officially abolished slavery.
As a Coastie Brat born in the turbulent sixties (please don’t do the math), I initially thought it was just my grandmother’s birthday. (It was) Then, when I learned more, I wondered what all the fuss was about. Everyone had the same right to do what they wanted, right? My friends of all ethnicities were the same, right?
Then I learned about slavery, segregation, dominant cultures, prejudices around the world, and all sorts of things I disagreed with and didn’t understand completely. Even then, my social work heart was engaged. I later learned that you were missing the point if you didn’t see color. “Seeing” color wasn’t a bad thing as I had first thought. Seeing color is seeing the diversity, the richness of different cultures, and, in some cases, their historical trauma. You will find it in every group of people all over the world.
I write fiction now, have been a social worker officially and unofficially for decades, and regardless of what you know about Juneteenth, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the 13th Amendment, I realize we are all meant to be free. I love listening to the stories of whoever wants to tell them. Learn about your fellow man, where he came from, and where he is going. Ask your neighbors how they are, listen to their stories, and laugh and cry with them. Let’s not be so self-centered in our own lives, cultures and beliefs that we can’t listen to our fellow man and get an idea of where he has walked.
When we give others a voice, it will free ours. It will allow us to share our stories as well. Not so we can feel shame for what others did and thought, but so we can be proud of what we do and think because we learned from others’ mistakes. Being kind to our fellow man is never wrong. I hope you become richer today and going forward as you listen to others’ histories and revel in the accomplishments and recounting of overcoming adversities.
(These are simple words that I thought today. They are not aimed at any one group of people, nor are they meant to cause distress. They are words meant to tell my thoughts- nothing more and nothing less. Opinion, which we are all entitled to have. However, if you are somehow offended, I apologize.)
Alyssa Bailey 