Indivisibles,
156 years ago today, slaves in Galveston, Texas, heard this order, telling
them they had been freed from bondage:
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a
proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are
free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights
of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection
heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired
labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes
and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to
collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in
idleness either there or elsewhere.” —General Orders, Number 3;
Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865
The infuriating irony of Juneteenth is that, like the rest of Black
liberation in this country, it should have come much sooner. President
Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law more than two
and a half years before General Order Number 3 was released. Robert E. Lee
had surrendered a month before. Lincoln -- the “executive” in the first
line -- was already dead.
Two days ago, President Biden signed a bill into law making Juneteenth a
federal holiday. Black activists have been working for this for years:
[ [link removed] ]check out this article to learn about the history of their activism and
[ [link removed] ]this essay Rep. Jamaal Bowman penned last year on why establishing the
holiday is important. Today we’re celebrating this victory in the long
fight to remember our history.
Like the event it commemorates, this recognition took far too long, but
that doesn’t dilute the sweetness of winning the fight. Still, it’s
infuriating that 14 republicans voted against even establishing the
holiday, driving home the point that this acknowledgment is a step towards
justice, not an end point. As Rep. Bowman said in his [ [link removed] ]powerful speech
after the bill passed:
“We must not stop here. We must continue to go forward to fight for
racial justice, because in many parts of our country, [injustice] still
exists in the form of housing discrimination and segregation, lack of
access to healthcare, wealth inequality... we must, we have to, come
together across party lines to do much more.” - Rep. Jamaal Bowman
This Juneteenth -- the very first Juneteenth National Independence Day --
we’re once more committing ourselves to the work of ending systemic
oppression of Black people in today’s America. Here are a few things you
can do this weekend and beyond to commit to this work, as a Black person
or as an ally:
1. [ [link removed] ]Black and other POC Indivisibles can join the Indivisible POC
Caucus’s monthly meetings - the next one is June 22. In this space,
POC staff and activists talk and connect around issues that directly
affect us, the work that we do, and the world in which we try to
create lasting change. Please note that this is a space specifically
for people of color and indigenous group leaders and members.
2. [ [link removed] ]If you missed it last summer or want a refresher, check out our
workshop on acting as an ally in the fight for racial justice. How do
Indivisibles talk within our groups about and amidst national moments
of reckoning? This mini-training will teach you how to use the
fundamentals of relational organizing to escalate white folks and
non-black people of color from allies to accomplices, both in casual
conversations and in concrete anti-racist steps within our
communities.
3. Today, our partners at Black Voters Matter are kicking off a “Freedom
Ride” bus tour from New Orleans to Washington, D.C., to fight for
voting rights. Read [ [link removed] ]Essence’s excellent write-up of the events, and
then [ [link removed] ]click here to learn more and find an event near you.
4. Call your Member of Congress and Senators and tell them to support
[ [link removed] ]H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and [ [link removed] ]S.1, the For the
People Act. These are both crucial democracy reform bills that will
protect against racist voter suppression tactics, strengthen our
electoral system as a whole, and move us closer to a more inclusive,
multiracial democracy.
5. Read, learn and enjoy: Activism is important, but we also want to take
time to celebrate and enjoy the many contributions of Black Americans.
This week at Indivisible National HQ in honor of Pride Month and
Juneteenth Week, the Black and Queer caucuses have teamed up to share
reflections, resources, and celebrations on the contributions of Black
and Queer people. We’ve talked about the [ [link removed] ]experiences of Black, gay
ballet dancers, and reveled in the beauty of Alvin Ailey’s
[ [link removed] ]Revelations and Billy Porter in [ [link removed] ]Kinky Boots. We watched
[ [link removed] ]Changing the Game, a 2019 documentary on the experiences of trans
high school athletes and had a seminar with [ [link removed] ]Lazarus Letcher, an
American Studies scholar focused on Black and Indigenous liberation,
and queer and trans studies. We shared some of our favorite books from
Black queer authors, including James Baldwin’s "Notes on a Native
Son", Octavia Butler’s "Parable of the Sower," and Langston Hughes’s
"Montage of a Dream Deferred". We encourage you to engage with these
resources, uplift this art, and share what else you’re watching,
listening to, and reading on social media.
We hope you’ll take time today to both acknowledge how far we have to go
to achieve justice in this country, and also celebrate the progress we’ve
made and the incredible contributions of Black Americans.
In solidarity,
Indivisible Team
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