Fighting For This Nation

 

Ever since this nation was a collection of colonies black people have been involved in the fight for this nation's independence and freedom. However, the preservation of history with regard to this subject has not always been kind to black people's contribution. Every major conflict from 1776 to modern-day global conflicts African American people have participated in and distinguished themselves. The American African history in this country did not begin with slavery. In fact, if the history surrounding this topic were accurate, it would be prominently noted that not every black person in America during the days of slavery was a slave. When Frederick Douglass proposed to Abraham Lincoln that black people should be allowed to fight for the union in the war between the states. Many southerners in congress only saw the "slaves" as being "armed" which to them was, not good ju-ju. 

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Of course, our ancestors, many of which were born in Africa, did participate in the Civil War, and much like in the colonial war, that ended in 1776, the African American contributions stood out. The same would be true for WWI, WWII, and all the other major armed conflicts this nation participated in. In fact, if history had been accurately taught in schools back then, it would have been known that African people can commit to war and be just at victorious as anyone else on this planet. Simply sharing the knowledge about the African Queens, and Kings, who took on the Roman Empire and won not only battles but Roman's respect, might have been enough. 

Just as I point out that not all black people during the days of slavery were slaves, I also point out that not all of the slaves forced to come to America were dumb, or unskilled. They may not have understood the customs or the language, but many of the slaves, especially those who were Muslim actually had more educational knowledge than those who enslaved them. I'm talking about slaves who had built bridges, temples, and entire kingdoms before ending up a slave. A lot of the Muslim slaves went to South America and were highly regarded for their cleverness. 

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These slaves would eventually overthrow their enslavers and claim the nation of Haiti for their own. Many of those in congress, at the time, who did not want to see the slaves armed to fight for the union knew about the above history, the history that showed what armed black people with a purpose could do, and it gave them nightmares. But by then black people were no longer fighting to get back to Africa. America is the only home the ancestors of the slaves (us) have ever known. 

Still, every American African should know the history of their roots the African Kings and Queens who ruled over Egypt, and how Africa was the first true world power. That knowledge can show you what makes American Africans some of the most fierce fighters in uniform. American Africans will always protect home.

Note about the Atlantic Slave Trade

 

The Slave Trade When it came to slavery and the slave trade in America (in the form of the colonies) America should not be standout. America was one of the members of the worldwide slave trading market. During the days when slavery was, a trading commodity ships flying the flags of many different nations were committed to the global slave economy and Africa was not the only donor to the slave trade. 

In fact, the first European ships traveling to Africa brought slaves to Africa to trade for Africa's riches of gold, diamond, ivory, and more. African slaves taken from Africa were taken to the east by Muslim slave traders into the Sahara and to the west coast of Africa by African slave traders where the slaves were shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to become part of the Atlantic Slave trade. Africa itself used slaves in its own economy. 

 

Eventually, the worldview on slavery would change and set in motion a chain of events that would eventually lead to the abolishment of slavery almost everywhere in the world. I have always looked at the Juneteenth Celebration as a way to honor all of the African ancestors who only knew life in chains during their lifetime and the several generations of American Africans that would follow them. Juneteenth is also the perfect time to honor all of the black Americans who first fought for the freedom of this country and the July 4th, 1776 celebration without being recognized as citizens of the nation, United States, they were fighting for and, who would later fight in the Civil War for this nation and their own freedom. 

I would also include American Africans like Nat Turner and others who chose to self-emancipate and also fight for their freedom. History is a timeline that should not be hidden or altered in any way that hides the truth. People should be allowed to learn that not all white people owned slaves and that not every black person in the United States was a slave, during the days of slavery. 

 

They should be able to learn about the abolitionist, the majority of which were white, who had just as much reason to celebrate Juneteenth as the ex-slaves did. Both groups wanted to see slavery end. A good place to start would be by doing away with two of the three blads of truth we now use your truth, my truth, and what really happened, which should all be reduced to simply, what really happened.

What did the ex-slaves and slaves eat in 1865

 

Slaves in West Africa before contact with Europeans lived mainly on a diet that was low in meat protein except for those who lived near the water where fish were plentiful. Their diet consisted mainly of maize,(corn) rice, peanuts, dried beans, and yams. After contact with Europeans and arriving in the U.S. the slave diet became a little richer based partly on the fact that a well-fed slave meant good productivity in the fields. So around the year 1865, near the end of slavery in this country, most slaves could depend on food rations that included some kind of meat or meat scraps, corn meal, lard, molasses, flour, greens, and peas. Those food items could sometimes be supplemented with fruit and nuts where available. 

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As mentioned in the title (ex-slaves and slaves) in 1865 not all of the slaves in the United States were freed on June 19th, 1865 so for those that remained enslaved the above rations list was still in place. For the newly freed slaves, freedom from slavery meant the cutting off of their usual rations with the majority of fresh meat in their area being consumed by union troops taking over the southern stronghold in Galveston Texas, and throughout the south. So, I can be really sure just what the ex-slave feeding habits were immediately after slavery ended in the south. The Freedmen's Bureau would later be set up to address this issue. A year later though, around the time of the first official celebration of Juneteenth in June 1866, things were settled enough that at the first official celebration of the end of slavery in this country at the 1966 Juneteenth Celebration there were many of the food items we have today are on the menu. 

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Peppered rabbit, okra soup, chicken, and Hominy (another form of corn usually made into grits) were a part of the first official celebration of Juneteenth. As the celebration spread outside of texas BBQed and grilled meats, greens, potato salad, cornbread, and a lot more familiar southern soul food dishes could be found at the Juneteenth Celebration. Something that has always been associated with the end of slavery celebration is the drinking of something red. Believed to be a West African tradition that survived in African people transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the U.S., the color red was associated with prosperity in West Africa. In the U.S. the color red also symbolized the blood spilled by the African people to be free. Long before the underground railroad slaves had been self-emancipating. Sometimes peacefully sometimes not. 

There was bloodshed in slave revolts and slave uprisings to go along with the bloodshed from the thousands of black lives who fought for this nation in the war for independence, in 1776, which did not make the slaves free. The Civil War, in 1865, did result in American Africans being set free. That is what makes the color red important to the Juneteenth Celebration. While today's descendants of the slaves, like me, may enjoy many of the same foods our enslaved ancestors did the food is still just a small part of the Juneteenth Celebration.

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The main celebration of Juneteenth is all about freedom. A freedom our ancestors could only dream about. Juneteenth is also a celebration of family and a family celebration. The ancestors, slave families, could not depend on family gatherings and get-togethers because back in 1865 many slave families were separated by slavery, and sold apart from each other. Freedom from slavery meant that families could no longer be separated from each other by slavery, and that, while families might not live in the same house they could still come together for events like Juneteenth, the independence day that outshined the July 4th Celebration by making All Americans, including American Africans, free.

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Add some good-tasting soul food with something red to drink, some African drum music, sports events, and a parade and you have a family holiday celebration that outshines all the others for American African people.

The Emancipation Proclamation an Imperfect Document

The Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves in the southern United States was actually one of a few different Proclamations proposed over the years by the north and south. As to whether Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was truly an imperfect document depended on whether you were a slave living in the north or south. When the Civil War ended in 1865 if you were a slave living in the south the Emancipation Proclamation distilled- down to General Order No. 3 was the perfect document for you, because it meant you were no longer a slave and that you were free. 

At that same time if you were a slave living in a friendly northern state the Emancipation Proclamation meant nothing to you, and you were not free. Fredrick Douglass and his supporters were aware of the imperfection within Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation so it probably didn't take them long to realize that the slaves were being used as ponds by the politicians, again. 

If Lincoln thought that by threatening the south with the loss of all their slaves if they didn't rejoin the union, it appears that things were a little too far gone by the time states began leaving the union of states. Abraham Lincoln's main job at the beginning of the Civil War was to preserve the union. He could not tell northern union soldiers that they were fighting to free the slave. So his Emancipation Proclamation was worded so that northern slave owners could keep their slaves, but the southern slave owners had to give up theirs.

Frederick Douglass wanted all of the slaves freed, not just some of them. Lincoln wanted what was best for the nation, a nation that was slowly pulling itself apart. Many of his best military officers from the Military Academy were leaving to fight with the southern states. At first, Lincoln rejected Fredrick Douglass' suggestion to let black men fight for the union and their freedom. There were many in congress who were uneasy about arming that many black people.

Abraham Lincoln would not live to see it, but all of the imperfections in the Emancipation Proclamation would be mended with the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. Black men and women would fight in the Civil War and southern lawmakers would be welcomed back into Washington D.C., and continue to fight for the south. The taking down of confederate monuments has resulted in a backlash against teaching black history in schools so while our unity in this nation may not be perfect, in much the same way, the Emancipation Proclamation wasn't perfect, it's still a lot better than it was in 1865.

Is Juneteenth a black thing?

 It goes without saying that black people are very happy for the freedom of our ancestors and by extension the freedom from slavery American Africans enjoy today. For hundreds of years, Africans turned African Americans labored to help build this nation receiving little more than room and board in return. They labored so long that when word first began to circulate among the slave population there was little hope their day of freedom would actually come.

But on June 19th, 1865 the words written in Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation would reach the slaves in the deep south, and not long after that, the 13th Amendment would put an end to slavery everywhere in the United States. By the time the first official Juneteenth Celebration happened on June 19th, 1866 freedom from slavery in the U.S. was finally a reality no one slave, slave owner, or slave merchant could deny.

In my opinion, Juneteenth is not just a "black thing" or not just a black celebration. Juneteenth is an American Celebration and a valuable part of American History. June 19th, 1865 was another independence day celebration, one that, unlike July 4th, 1776 included everyone in this nation. And as I always point out Juneteenth is and was a celebration for all of the white, Indian, and other nationality abolitionists who worked alongside black abolitionists to keep the wheels of the underground railroad turning in the direction of freedom.

Keep in mind that the abolitionist was also in a fight for freedom too. Assisting runaway slaves was against the law. To a big part of America, the abolitionist was considered no more than a well-organized band of thieves intent on relieving slave merchants and slave owners of their paid-for and inherited property. To participate in helping runaway slaves reach freedom abolitionists risked losing their freedom, their property, and in several cases their lives.

To the abolitionists, Juneteenth and the eventual passing of the 13th Amendment meant that white clergy, farmers, and businessmen no longer had to risk all of the above. In no way do the abolitionist's struggles equal the struggle of a people forced into slavery but for those who chose to do more than simply protest or write letters to politicians and hope. Those who chose to be abolitionists chose to put some of their own skin in the game when it came to the task of making sure that all who lived in, and who helped build this nation, could be free and protected by this nation's laws.

John Brown and his sons, who gave their lives for the anti-slavery cause, I believe, would most certainly celebrate Juneteenth, the end of slavery. His plan was to arm slaves and fight with them against the slave owners, merchants, and the powers-that-be failed, but his efforts did show a nation that not only were some white people willing to arm black people but also fight with them to end slavery.

If you choose to ignore all of the contributions and sacrifices made by all the non-African Americans like John Brown and others that led to the Civil War, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, Juneteenth, and the 13th Amendment you discount some valuable U.S. History. I say the Juneteenth Celebration could be an all-black thing if it weren't for all the other different skin colors involved in its creation.

Memorial Day History

Like so many other pieces of American History, American African contributions have all but been erased from the historical fact sheet surrounding the Memorial Day Celebration by the South, in an effort, to recolor American History. The truth is that not only did American African people fight with the Union Military for the preservation of the Union of States, but black Union soldiers also fought for their own freedom. I decided to do this post to remind people that Memorial Day was started by freed slaves in South Carolina. The Memorial Day Celebration, originally referred to as Decoration Day was made a national holiday in the United States in 1971. The Memorial Day Celebration traditions can be traced back to the days of the Civil War.

Back in 1865, with fighting between the states still in progress the Confederate military took over an old, converted racetrack and used it to hold hundreds of Union prisoners. The Union soldiers were kept in conditions so deplorable more than two-hundred-fifty Union soldiers would die from mistreatment and the conditions. The dead Union soldiers were unceremoniously placed in a mass grave and covered over with dirt. When the Civil War ended, a short time later, with most of the white population already having fled to the South. The rebels receiving word of the Confederate surrender pulled out of South Carolina, leaving thousands of slaves and freed American Africans to the new future that awaited them. 

Once the Confederate forces had left a group of American Africans aware of the mass grave holding Union troops dug up all of the Union soldier's bodies, and moved them to a new location, placing a sign over the Union troop's new burial ground that read: Martyrs of the racecourse. The fallen Union soldiers were given a proper burial and on May 1st, 1865 the first Memorial Day Celebration in this nation was held to honor the dead. More than ten-thousand American African men and women, led by groups of children their arms filled with flowers paraded around the racetrack grounds. At the New Martyrs of the Racecourse Cemetery after squeezing as many of the ten thousand people as they could into the Union soldier's final resting place.  

The ceremony began with a group of American African preachers each taking his turn at the pulpit reading scripture from the bible and praying for the lost Union souls, which was followed by the voices of the children's choir. So, while we honor all of the soldiers who fought for and made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation, let us also remember all of the black workmen who would not rest until Union soldiers were given an honorable burial, and who are the true reasons for the Memorial Day Celebration.

Juneteenth Handbook Info

The Juneteenth Fact Sheet

Download my Juneteenth Fact Sheet online and at the bottom of this post leave us an E-Mail address so that you can follow and be the first to learn of new, downloadable, printable stickers, and invitations, for Juneteenth from us here at the Juneteenth Handbook. What is the Juneteenth Fact Sheet, it's a collection of facts put together by me based on conversations I have had with friends and family over the years about Juneteenth? Not long after finding out about the Juneteenth Celebration myself, I began to realize that a lot of the facts and figures being quoted to me by different friends, family, and organizers were not matching up. For example, Juneteenth represents the end of slavery in the United States. Well, kinda, and not for all the slave population in this nation at that time. 

In my research that followed for my own video presentation about Juneteenth, titled A Time to be Remembered, A Juneteenth Story, even more, clarifying information came to light (for me) so when my video project was finished and the companion book I promised (The Juneteenth Handbook) was complete I decided to do my own Juneteenth Fact Sheet to clarify things like it was actually the 13th Amendment that ended slavery throughout the U.S. and the first official Juneteenth Celebration, was actually held June 19th, 1866, on the first year anniversary of General Gordon Granger's reading of General Order No. 3 the year before in 1865. Not gigantic deals I know, but, to me still important enough to mention.

For those of you who don't know, the word Juneteenth is a mixture of the words June and 19th, which represents the teenths of the month, in long-ago slave speak. The celebration is also known by other names like Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, June 19th, and American African Independence Day. Because Juneteenth did for the American Africans what the 4th of July, 1776 celebration did not do for American Africans, Juneteenth recognized African Americans as citizens of this nation and was quickly followed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution.

The Juneteenth Fact Sheet and the Juneteenth Handbook E-Book are both downloadable history worth knowing. June 19th is one of the best days I know of the reflect on the meaning of the Juneteenth Celebration. Keeping in mind all of the freedoms the black Americans gained, and all the relief, and feelings of a job well done by all of the black and white abolitionists. Keep in mind that there are just as many descendants of the abolitionist around today as there are descendants of the former slaves.  

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Juneteenth is a good time to remember also that the slaves both before, and after their freedom had an active part in building this nation, and because freedom isn't free some of the slaves also had a very active part in fighting with the military of this nation for their freedom all of which should make Juneteenth and American Holiday worth celebrating. Leave a comment and share with me how you first learned about the Juneteenth Celebration.