Happy Juneteenth!
As of last Saturday,
Massachusetts, now joins 23 other states (including New Jersey) that officially recognize this holiday. (And most appropriately for the Bay State, since as in so many other things, it led in legalizing slavery, back in 1641.)
If you're not too up on Juneteenth, here's a bit of info from
Juneteenth.com:
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.
Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.
And there's more
here. And
here.
New York State is mulling an official apology for slavery (
sans reparations, of course); only in the last decade has slavery's central role in
New York City's and the state's development come to the fore.
The
New-York Historical Society still is featuring two exhibits on the topic, its
permanent New York Slavery exhibit, and
New York Divided: Slavery and the Civil War, which runs until September 3, 2007.
The process of emancipation, however, from slavery and its effects, continues.
