Today's Globe briefly reported a Juneteeth commemoration down the street at the Thomas Dillaway House in Roxbury. I had already called in sick today (this early summer heat is killing me!) so I figured I'd be productive with my free time and go check it out. Unfortunately the Globe was a little shaky on the little details - like the start time - but I made it on time and took some photos. The sparse crowd was made up primarily of Black veterans and their supporters, which was too bad given that an elementary school full of kids of color was literally feet away. Some of the kids were even looking down upon us from a third story window. It's too bad their teachers didn't think to take them next door.
Anyway, the Boston Herald and WLVI were present with reporters and photographers. I think someone from the Banner may have been there too. The commemoration included a reenactment of a speech by Sojourner Truth, a flag raising by a member of the Buffalo Soldiers, and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and Lift Ev'ry Voice. What's unfortunate is that more people weren't there. But what can you expect when the event happens on a workday? City Councilor Charles Yancey read from a City Council proclamation calling for making Juneteenth a full state holiday while his assistant passed out copies and a related press release. I had no idea that our neighbors in New York and Connecticut, and even some far-flung states like Idaho and Alaska, had already established today as a holiday. Yancey also pointed out President Bush's hypocrisy in slowing down efforts to make Juneteenth a federal holiday when it's been a holiday in his home state of Texas since 1980.
Some of the participants also passed around a petition to make Juneteenth a holiday, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to sign it. However, I'm all for it. We have a national holiday recognizing our freedom from oppression from another country. It's high time that we recognize the beginning of the end of oppression within our own.
Juneteenth is America's 2nd Independence Day celebration. 29 states recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or state holiday observance, as well as the Congress of the United States.
Together we will see Juneteenth become a national holiday in Amemrica!
"DOC"
Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D.
Chairman
National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign
National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC)
www.Juneteenth.us
www.19thofJune.com
www.njclc.com
www.JuneteenthJazz.com
Posted by: Rev. Ronald Myers | Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 12:21 AM