Why
do we even bother to celebrate Juneteenth?
It's really simple, as
simple as J U N E T E E N T H.
J --
Juneteenth represents the joy of freedom--the chance for a new beginning.
U --
Unless we expose the truth about the African-American slave experience,
Americans
won't be truly free.
N --
Never must we forget our ancestors' endurance of one of the worst slave
experiences
in human history.
E --
Every American has benefited from the wealth blacks created through over
200 years of
free labor and Juneteenth
allows us to acknowledge
that debt.
T --
To encourage every former slave-holding state to follow Texas' (and Oklahoma's)
example
and make Juneteenth a
state holiday.
E --
Everyday in America, blacks are reminded of the legacy of slavery. Juneteenth
counters that by reminding us of the
promise of deliverance.
E --
Even on the journey to discover who we are, Juneteenth allows us to reflect
on
where we've been, where we're at
and where we're going
as a people.
N --
Never give up hope is the legacy our enslaved ancestors left. It was
this legacy
that produced black heroism in
the Civil War and helped
launch the modern civil rights era. It is this legacy we celebrate.
T --
To proclaim for all the world to hear, that human rights must never again
become
subservient to property rights.
H --
History books have only told a small part of the story; Juneteenth gives
us a
chance to set the record straight.
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