A Brief Note For Juneteenth
Texans take a lot of crap from those of us who live elsewhere – especially us priggish northeasterners – yet today we must acknowledge that Texas observes Juneteenth as an official holiday.
On June 19th, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger – a man who had long been known for bravery on the battlefield and for having a big mouth – marched into Galveston, Texas, and informed everyone there that slavery had been abolished a while ago (Galveston was a little late getting the news) and the slaves who were there were actually free. Much rejoicing ensued that day, and the celebration is re-visited annually. Texas is not the only part of the country to commemorate Juneteenth. There have been large celebrations in cities here and there. Yet Texas remains the only state to make the holiday official. Since Juneteenth is nothing less than Independence Day for African-Americans, why should Texas be the only state?
June 19th, 2006 at 1:57 pm
Good point. Sort of. Since Galvaston is in Texas, it makes sense the they’re the only state to officially case.
And yet, the whole thing is sometimes likened to the same kind of rip-off as us Black folk getting February as “our” history month.
I’d like to believe Juneteenth is so celebrated in organized African-American groups and communities, perhaps there hasn’t been a push to make it official.
I also believe in the fair folk, dragons and gold at the end of rainbows.
June 20th, 2006 at 4:32 am
Please don’t neglect my Tooth Fairy and my Easter Bunny.
The Kinkster may be swaying me to his side, regarding the possible culpability of Santa Claus being responsible for the Crucifixion.
How could I fail to honor the state that puts “Big Dick” Friedman on their gubernatorial ballot?
Refreshing to see someone so young actually use the word “black.”
In my severely misguided youth, I crossed 110th Street in 1976 to try to take a volunteer job at the Congress of Racial Equality.
I finally had to leave after our recruiter referred to me as “the Chinese brother” for the twentieth time.
Which might actually may have prevented my later getting shot or stabbed during that summer.
My cultural sensibilities are that Sin is a two-way street, and that the majority of Texans was similarly relieved of the burden of sinning against the former slaves. I agree their celebration does them credit, and once again Algernon makes a terrific post. I love this guy. In the nice way.
I was greatly gratified to see this unfortunately named journalist take the higher road in the following link, rather than whine (like some nitwits of my acquaintance) decrying the absence of any Asian second, minute, half-hour, day, fortnight, or week.
http://news.asianweek.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=09cf829290675f598129a2cef0966afa&this_category_id=172
While I enjoyed “Romeo Must Die” as much as the next middle-aged married Asian man, I am not sure that a special affinity ought to apply between Asian-Americans and any other one specific group (well, excepting for Tara, Local Way, and Water What for this Asian-American).
Can’t we just get along with everybody?
June 20th, 2006 at 8:33 am
Gerry, I actually held out for a loooong time using ‘brown.’ It seemed (1) more accurate and (2) less politically loaded than ‘black,’ to which some of my fellows objected. Brown is beautiful.
June 20th, 2006 at 9:01 am
Brother Algernon, you are the best and fairly beautiful in your own right and your own way.
I’ve found that one can attract calumny with even the best intentions.
Exitus acta probat, if my dog-Latin serves.
I have been counseled to now take offense at the term “Oriental” but am not sure why. They say that the Charlie Chan DVDs might be coming back, I missed them.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-302529.html
I inadvertently omitted Wonting Witch from my short list.
June 20th, 2006 at 11:11 am
From my experiences in Texas, there’s a good reason to have boisterous celebrations for Juneteenth, as it provides a needed outlet by allowing the celebrants to be outspoken about past and current social/cultural inequities. Caucasian Texans have always had strong affinity for pride and prejudice.
June 20th, 2006 at 12:33 pm
Aloha, Brother Bradley.
That the Lone Star residents today celebrate Emancipation gives me hope.
I’ve been among Europeans, Middle Easterners, Asians, Americans of all stripes and flavors. Pride and prejudice seem to be part of our common history and individual cultures, to me.
Lots of Africans killing Africans today, for example; Civil War and slavery notwithstanding, I am not sure that it was exactly a pastoral Eden where lion laid down with lamb in Africa then.
I have seldom seen such self-searching nor collective introspection among a people as the Caucasians, unless one counts the Semites.
There appears to be a largely tacit but extant racial divide between the Japanese and pretty nearly everybody else, for example. No more or less than I’ve observed in College Station or Fort Worth. I could be wrong.
Millions of Texans celebrate the liberation of themselves and the oppressed some 145 years after the Civil War.
There are no parades or remembrances of the 37,000,000 World War victims in Japan and I’ve found that most of my Japanese acquaintances have been taught their genetic superiority justifies their manifest destiny. I should think “pride” and “prejudice” capture the essence of this doctrine well.
On the whole, I’ll take Texas (over Tokyo, at least).
Are you among people with less strong affinities toward pride and prejudice in Pahala?
I infer that you intimate that there may be groups less proud and more accepting than Caucasian Texans.
I don’t think I agree, based on my experience.
Peace to you.
June 20th, 2006 at 4:57 pm
“Some of my best friends are from Texas” heheh. And that is true. I resided on Houston’s west side, Westchester, in ‘75-’76, remember the bicentennial? Though I no longer know anyone from that brief era of my life, I do know that Texas IS special, if only for the extremes borne of infamous largesse.
Do not fear brother Gerry, for the notorious Texas pride is a general truth and not my condemnation of any person who would self-identify as Texan.
I liked singing “The Yellow Rose of Texas” at public events, and bluebonnets will alway have a special place in my memories.
More interesting to me is your views on Japan: it would explain some of the behavior I experienced from co-workers from Japan: for 15 years I was an engineer for KonicaMinolta.
As for my personal affinities, others will have to be the judge. Here in Pahala I’m definitely one of the scarcer minorities, but people here are like people everywhere: friendly if you show respect.
Cultural pride is strong but very fractured in Hawaii. Natives are cross bred and scarce, Phillipino, Portuguese, Samoan, Micronesian, Japanese and Chinese all have larger communities. I guess “pride” and “group” necessarily go together, would you agree?
Thoughtfully yours,
B.
June 20th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Aloha!
Thoughtful indeed.
It’s funny, a friend of my wife’s met me for the first time. Maybe because of my Asian features, she started apologizing for her haole husband to me.
Those “groups” get pretty fluid.
Great post. Don’t mess with Texas!
Best
g