By: Dhoruba Asadi (Updated)
Let me start by saying this. Its a wonderful thing enjoying the spirit, sharing in love and unity with millions of Afrodescendants, celebrating and recognizing a period in our harsh history in america, wherein freedom was (allegedly) granted to us by proclamation, from the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln…(allegedly?) I’ll get to that in a moment. But, the celebrations taking place among the children of slavery all over america around the world. The respect and honor paid our ancestors is so moving.
Our ancestors who endured the harshness of chattel slavery, was (allegedly) relieved of such treatment by proclamation, signed in Washington D.C, in 1862, eventually taking effect, on January, 1st, 1863. However, the black slave population of Galveston, Texas, received the news some 2 and half years later from the day of it’s execution, June, 19, 1865. Hence, Juneteenth Day, when, Maj. General Gorden Granger, issued, General Order No. 3.
For all intent and purposes the spirit of celebration which most likely took place then, as a continuim, has spilled right over to this year’s Juneteenth Celebration. Seemingly, every path I crossed, Afrodescendant people were saying to each other, “Happy Juneteenth Day.” It was quite refreshing and spirit-filled, for us all. I could feel the love and dignity within. I too, am a proud black man in America, an Afrodescendant. (See the definition of Afrodescendants.) Even, some whites took part recognizing as well.
What, Afrodescendant people in America, have been through and endured for the past 400 years in this country. In my opinion, places us high on the scale above any other people on this earth. It was and is Holocaustic! It’s no doubt that the Afrodescendant people in America, the descendants of royalty, made slaves. Are much different than our collective tormentors, who’ve commited the worse crimes against us, that the world has ever seen. Yet, we remain bruised but not broken and still wear the garments of royalty.
That said, I was moved to revisit the historical documentation signed by then seating president Abraham Lincoln. I read and reread the “Proclamation Emancipation,” first issued as a warning to the states in rebellion, in September, of 1862. Saying, if said states remained in rebellion, by January, 1, 1863, then the 2nd revised order goes into effect out of “military necessity,” to preserve the union – the (alleged) abolishment of slavey.
Going through the documents many questions came to my mind. But, the one that stood out most is raised here – Did, Lincoln’s Proclamation, actually free us from slavery or transferred black people to another form of it? That is the question.
Many reasons are given, and much speculation had, on Lincoln’s, motivation to comprise his executive orders. Issues on the table in America, before the civil war were the North-South divide, Nationalism; States Rights; Abolitionism; Distribution of new states; Right to succession; the Dred Scott’s Decision; Lincoln’s Election; Religion; Fugitive Slave Acts; Brown’s Rebellion; Free Labor; and in the middle of it all, Slavery – which undergirded the entire economics of the Southern States in rebellion. All agreed, essentially what we have here is an Anglo American family feud.
Now, in all of that the question remains, specifically pertaining to black people in America, then, and moreso now – Did, Lincoln’s Proclamation, (actually free) us from slavery, or, (transferred) black people to another form of it? After all we are still within the borders of our oppression and still endure gross violations of our human rights, daily.
For, the sake of brevity, in Lincoln’s, Proclamation, which was no more than an executive order at the
time, with had no legal or Constitutional force of law behind it. That came later. Which, why he attached to his first proclamation of September, 1862, the requisite term “military necessity”, exercising his presidental powers as Commander of the Military. In it he equated freedom of the slaves as, “labor faithfully for reasonable wages”, aimed the 10 rebelling states.
This theme is further found in Maj. General Grangers, order No. 3, of 1865, “…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 ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, in 1865, interpretation reads the same “Neither slavery (nor involuntary servitude,) except as a punishment for crime…” Lending to the notion of “hired” laborer. Yet, one can be returned to the condition of slavery by the commission of a crime.
During the time Black people literally had little or no personal rights or property. In the Homestead Act, were the American governement gave whites over 160 millions acres of land, free, blacks were not allowed particapation until after 1868. Of course we know what happened with, Sherman’s, Field Order 15, promising Black people 40 acres and mules leftover from the war. it was all recoup and redistributed to confederate white farmers under Jackson.
Looking back at that period our ancestors were never given a choice, or took a part in the discussion, or decision making process of our so called freedom. We accepted and settled upon a type of “freedom” designed by leaders of our oppression with no consideration given to how we felt about it one way or the other. Slavery did supported the enrichment of the states in rebellion to the Union, and was one of the sticky issue stirring at that time. Its speculated by some that perhaps Mr. Lincoln’s, proclamation was no more than an tool used to destablize the economy’s of the 10 rebellious states. (See Lincoln’s excerpt on Black folks above)
As was done then and still prevelent today, its the controlling body of white folks who make decisions, daily, which affect our lives. The only thing that changed from being force to work for nothing is receiving small wages, and considerably low wages at that! You couldn’t possibly think that whites slave owners all of a sudden become righteous and decided to pay fair wages to their hires at that time? According, to some accounts given around that period, black men and women were cheated out of the little they did earned. Many of our ancestors couldn’t read nor write, let alone mathematically proficient. They were deprived.
For over 150 years working wages has remained well below a living standard that have a substantial number of black family locked and strapped in poverty, still.
The undeniable histories are all there. No other offers were put upon the table for consideration, like reparations, relocation or possible repatriation back to places of origins. None of that! They said, we were free and we believed it. Although, difficult for some to accept, but, deep down inside we “know” it isn’t actually true. We are consistedly denied from practicing true citizenship, freedom, justice or equalty.
Some say, oh well that was a long time ago. And, yes thats true. But our ancestors were deprive of their choice. Had they been allowed a choice, then maybe they could have forestalled or prevented what we are having to put up with everyday living in America. Which illustrates the importance of choice. And, thats all we’re talking about ones choice to decide. That our ancestors were not given a choice, in all honesty is a denial to us the same.
One of our great human rights advocates, Dr. Yusuf Kly, wrote that being in America, and “how we see ourselves, is much different then how the world sees us.” Meaning, we may see ourselves as having been “freed” from slavery by Abraham Lincoln, and the American Constitution. However, having the “feeling” of being free in the world, is much different than being free indeed. The reality is we are not. Our ancestors were not given a choice then, but one that we should have today. It is a right denied and a gross violation of our human rights as a people. Juneteenth, is it a farce or freedom?
Today, among Afrodescendants, we have many different plans and views for our future, and how we should be seen by the world. Which for some may include the possibility of returning to Africa, or settle on some other part of this earth. Its not out of the realm of possibility. However, what we want now is the (right) of choice! The choice of the kind of ‘freedom’ wanted is our sole right to choose and determine, not Anglo Americans, or any other.
