(ThyBlackMan.com) Just two years ago, in 2021, The Senate unanimously passed legislation to make Juneteenth (June 19) a federal holiday. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the legislation with just fourteen holdouts, mostly among Southern Republicans. It is unlikely that this legislation would get such overwhelming support today, as so many oppose teaching truth, opposing “critical race theory”, and even simple teaching about race and enslavement. Indeed, many might oppose teaching about Juneteenth, which commemorates the day that enslaved Black Texans learned that they were free.
President Biden described signing the Juneteenth holiday legislation as “one of the greatest honors” of his presidency. He said, “Great nations don’t ignore their most painful moments, they embrace them.” In embracing our painful moments, however, the celebration of Juneteenth is hollow unless it is accompanied by some action. President has had the opportunity to embrace HR 40, legislation that would have authorized a Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans. First introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) in 1989, and introduced in every congressional session thereafter, the legislation was later championed by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and supported by more than 210 members of Congress.
With a Republican-dominated Congress, HR 40 is unlikely to pass during this legislative session, but the President can still sign an executive order establishing a Commission on Reparations. Granted, this might be divisive as we move toward election 2024 with a nation acutely divided on matters of race. Still, Biden must practice what he preaches. In embracing the history of enslavement, and commemorating Juneteenth, our President must ask how we get past the history to compensate the descendants of enslaved people who still experience generational trauma from enslavement.
California’s governor Gavin Newsome established a reparations commission that has now released its report, with recommendation. San Francisco has also issued a report, suggesting both monetary and non-monetary benefits for San Franciscans. Critics have focused on the monetary awards these commissions have suggested, and they would be better advised to focus on the concepts, not the details. No monetary benefit can compensate the descendants of enslaved people for the wealth gap, not to mention the psychological effects, that slave descendants have experienced. Suggestions that individual reparations run into the millions of dollars alarm some, but others understand that reports concluding that large amounts are due represent a starting point in negotiations, not an end point. The most important thing is to reparations are due and then to determine how they should be paid.
“This day doesn’t just celebrate the past,” President Biden said, “It calls for action today.” But what action? The Supreme Court is likely to overturn affirmative action. Even as they offered small hope in the Alabama gerrymandering case, they are likely to rule differently in other voting rights to discuss how they might be paid. The reparations movement is growing, especially the local reparations movement, and people across racial lines are concerned about the wealth gap and its long-term implications. At the same time, resistance to Black progress is growing and so-called law enforcement has gone wild in attacking Black drivers, joggers, walkers, and breathers. President Biden deserves credit for signing Juneteenth legislation. What will he do, in these politically divided times, to do more in the spirit of Juneteenth.
Juneteenth is a first step toward recognizing our nation’s sordid history. Even as we embrace our nation’s flaws, we must repair the harm that this history has done. Reparations are the next step toward making Black Americans whole.
Written by Julianne Malveaux
Official website; https://www.juliannemalveaux.com/
I agree. Forget slavery and let’s focus on the Jim Crow Era that existed prior to Civil Rights becoming law. Those people of color with a US birth certificate dated before 1968 will show the names and races of each of their parents; who obviously lived through the ugliest of the Jim Crow politics which resulted in separate and unequal when it came to employment, pay, housing and other opportunities that mainstream (White) America had always taken for granted.
I am not black but I love your articles. The information you provide is color blind and very educational. Mostly I read your Christian articles and they have helped me in Bible studies.
Thank you
I don’t think anyone is exactly ignornat of the flag/color scheme, the problem is that many of the Juneteenth logos and symbols are copyrighted and use of them have been met with threats of legal action by such organizations that are designed to pretend to care about these issues on paper, but only exists to make money – hence the threat of legal action for utilizing such symbols and materials. What should actually be a tragedy and an insult to our ancestors is the very fact that their descendants are utilizing their legacy to make a profit for themselves without regard or reverence to who and what they were.
I propose a few questions here. 1.) Who exactly is experiencing trauma from slavery? Why are they traumatized by it? 2.) Why is there this assumption that every black American is a descendent of slavery and are owed reparations? What does reparations look like? Who is the national spokesperson for these reparations? Who appointed/elected them? As the Black community we talk about these things without actually analyzing anything and then we want the government for nearly 40 years now analyze it for us, pay us, and then we are supposed to magically get over it and the trauma is suddenly gone?
If Black America today was told they were getting land to develop and some random check to subsidize their project roughly 85% of them would look to sell or bust in their adventure in the first two years. Monetary compensation wouldn’t close the wealth gap no matter what the price tag would be – why? Because money would burn holes in people’s pockets and they would be spending it on everything they can before tax season hits then do it all over again when taxes come around. This isn’t hyperbole or cynicism; it is actual facts based on precedent and our culture/habits.
Blacks have control of nearly all of the major cities in America and look at their conditions. No, we cannot blame Republicans or blame white people. This falls solely on our shoulders. You have groups like the NACCP and the Congressional Black Caucus who are essentially not worth a damn that could drive their focus on economic development in these cities – if in fact they were serious along with the rest of Black America in improving our lives and living standards but, that isn’t the case.
I will share this quote from someone of days ago that recognized the grift game by the Iron Triangle – The Black Church, The Black Politician, and the Black Community Organization/Organizer and that is:
“There is another class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs — partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.”
? Booker T. Washington
Good morning
I wanted to reach out to you in reference to your Thy Black Man.com article ” Black Community: From Juneteenth to Reparations”. I understand that Juneteenth is a new federal holiday and that many people are not fully educated on its history and background story. As a Houston, Texas native and non profit leader in the space of Black American cultural and political advocacy, I take this celebration very personally.
I wanted to inform you and your news establishment of the proper representation of Juneteenth as I have seen multiple businesses and other entities represent Juneteenth with pan African, Caribbean and neutral brown colors and decorations with Africa on them saying Celebrate Juneteenth as if it’s not a Black American holiday but some sort of global holiday with African origins. It’s extremely disrespectful to my Black American ancestors, heritage and culture to depict such a sacred Black American holiday this way. The official Juneteenth flag and color are red, blue and white. Not red, black, green and yellow. Representing it any other way is confusing not only to non-Black Americans but to Black Americans that may not have been educated in the traditions like I was being raised in Texas.
I hope this helps you all do a more accurate job of presenting marketing for this sacred Black American occasion in the future. Thank you for your time.
Tanzy Flakes
Co-founder/Vice President
Capitol Accountability Project
I don’t think anyone is exactly ignornat of the flag/color scheme, the problem is that many of the Juneteenth logos and symbols are copyrighted and use of them have been met with threats of legal action by such organizations that are designed to pretend to care about these issues on paper, but only exists to make money – hence the threat of legal action for utilizing such symbols and materials. What should actually be a tragedy and an insult to our ancestors is the very fact that their descendants are utilizing their legacy to make a profit for themselves without regard or reverence to who and what they were.